Bergen Brunswig Wins Defense Contracts

A unit of Bergen Brunswig Corp. in Orange received two contracts valued at about $300 million from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency to supply pharmaceuticals to military bases and hospitals in Hawaii and the Pacific Rim region, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

The contract extends through March 2003, the Defense Department said. The Defense Logistics Agency serves as the worldwide supply depot for the U.S. military.

Bergen Brunswig Drug Co. received a $153.3-million contract to supply drugs in Hawaii and $146.2 million for the Pacific Rim. The parent company had revenue of about $23 billion last year.

Bergen, one of the nation’s largest suppliers of drugs and medical products, was not aware of the contracts when contacted.

The company’s stock lost 35 cents to close at $16 a share on the New York Stock Exchange.