Beckman to Close 2 Plants, Fire 100 Workers

Beckman Coulter Inc. said Tuesday it is closing two plants and firing 100 employees, or about 1% of its worldwide work force, over the next 15 months as the diagnostics-systems maker consolidates its operations after acquisitions.

The company’s San Diego plant, originally part of Hybritech Inc., and its 20-year-old Puerto Rican operations will be moved to facilities in Chaska, Mich., and Carlsbad. Beckman, which is based in Fullerton, said it plans to relocate 125 people.

Beckman, with 1997 sales of $1.2 billion, is eliminating overlap at its factories, which make equipment for hospital tests and medical research, after making a number of acquisitions over the past two years. Analysts were expecting the closings and job cuts, especially at operations it assumed with the 1997 purchase of closely held Coulter Corp.

“There was a lot of fat to be cut,” said Herriot Tabuteau, an analyst at NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC.

The company said it doesn’t expect the plant closings to affect earnings. Severance and placement assistance for the 100 employees being let go were anticipated in a $59.4-million charge Beckman took in the fourth quarter of 1997 to cover the costs of acquiring Coulter, spokeswoman Jeanie Herbert said.

Beckman’s stock rose $1 to $50.31 a share.