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The Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, as it is abbreviated in Spanish) has announced that it will assist around 230 employees who will lose their jobs in Juncos in 2027 following the closure of the Becton Dickinson facility.
“The DDEC is thoroughly dedicated to collaborating closely with the management of the company, both locally and at a corporate level, to examine all possible options to lessen the impact of this decision on workers and the community,” stated DDEC Secretary Sebastián Negrón Reichard.
This choice is part of a strategic plan involving the transfer of production lines from the Juncos location to a recently acquired site in Añasco, following Becton Dickinson’s (BD) acquisition of Edwards Lifesciences. Nonetheless, this transition will rely on product stock levels and the subsequent operations transfer. Consequently, a definitive timeline for layoffs has yet to be determined, although they are anticipated to be executed in phased steps.
“Becton Dickinson has been a vital partner for Puerto Rico, making significant contributions to the medical device industry and positively influencing the local economy,” Negrón Reichard further noted. “While we acknowledge that this corporate decision is influenced by global factors, we will persist in engaging in discussions at both the local and corporate levels to explore solutions that may mitigate the impacts on employees and the Juncos community.”
The designated secretary emphasized that no immediate layoffs will occur and that DDEC has activated the rapid response services of Conexión Laboral to aid the 230 regular employees of the plant who may require assistance.
Mayor of Juncos, Alfredo “Papo” Alejandro, recently mentioned that he had been receiving warnings about a potential shutdown of BD operations within the town. Simultaneously, the global medical technology company announced further investments in its U.S. manufacturing network.
BD manages over 30 manufacturing and distribution centers across the United States, forming a crucial component of the U.S. medical product supply chain. These locations employ in excess of 10,000 individuals and are distributed across 17 states and Puerto Rico.
The New Jersey-based firm declared that it is relocating its operations to the U.S. mainland and investing in capacity expansions for essential medical devices, including syringes, needles, and IV catheters, to address the ongoing demands of the nation’s healthcare system. As part of the company’s more than $10 million investment in 2024 to enhance manufacturing capacity, new production lines for needles and syringes have been established at BD facilities in Connecticut and Nebraska. One line is currently fully operational, with additional lines expected to commence in the upcoming months, according to a company statement released last week.
These new lines are projected to enhance BD’s capacity for domestically produced safety-engineered injection devices by over 40% and conventional syringes by more than 50%, contributing hundreds of millions of units annually to support critical U.S. healthcare delivery in areas such as hospital procedures, vaccinations, medication preparation, and drug delivery to patients. Additionally, BD has recruited over 215 full-time employees at its facilities in Nebraska and Connecticut to accommodate the increased production.
BD is also planning more than $30 million in investments in 2025 to augment manufacturing capacity for IV lines at its Utah plant to facilitate ongoing growth in catheter solutions. This follows the company’s 2024 investment of over $2 million for IV line enhancements, which resulted in an increase in IV catheter production by more than 40 million units annually.
“Domestic manufacturing is essential for ensuring a robust supply of vital healthcare devices,” remarked Eric Borin, president of medication delivery solutions at BD. “By expanding our production capabilities, we are not only addressing the urgent needs of patients and providers but also reinforcing our commitment to the nation’s healthcare infrastructure.”
