October 14, 2014
By Riley McDermid, BioSpace.com Breaking News Editor
Becton, Dickinson and Company will lay off 60 workers in its biopharma tools unit, BD Biosciences, in San Jose, Calif., the company confirmed Tuesday.
BD Biosciences makes flow cytometers, reagents, tools and services for clinical and research work.
Staff affected were notified of the layoffs in September. The California Employment Development Department listed the effective date as Nov. 12.
“BD is taking strategic business actions to ensure that we are investing in the right capabilities to position the company for long-term growth and optimize efficiencies in our operating performance,” Abigail Cardona, BD manager, worldwide public relations, corporate/shared services, said in a statement.
The layoffs represent a reduction of around 6 percent of the worksite’s nearly 1,000 workers and comes a year after BD bought fellow San Jose diagnostics outfit Alverix for $40 million. The company is in the process of merging the two entities, it said.
“Where possible, we have eliminated unoccupied positions or have offered associates the opportunity to move into other roles. Where this was not possible, impacted associates will leave the company with financial support and job search assistance to find their next career opportunity,” said Cardona.
Alverix was previously BD’s partner in developing its diagnostic tool BD Veritor, which aims to give clinicians and doctors data results in around 10 minutes. It remains the company’s sole supplier.
