Beckman Coulter relocation could create hundreds of jobs

Beckman Coulter Inc. announced this afternoon that it will shutter a centrifuge development and manufacturing facility in Palo Alto, Calif., and move its operations to Indianapolis. The Palo Alto facility employs 220 people.

 

Beckman Coulter, based in Fullerton, Calif., said the move will cut costs and improve its ability to recruit and retain skilled employees.

 

“Closing our facility in Palo Alto was a difficult decision because the people there have always done excellent work and we have a long history in the area,” Beckman Coulter senior vice president Pam Miller said in a statement.

“By relocating our operations to the Indianapolis area, we can work aggressively to manage our costs and maintain our leadership position in centrifugation, an important asset of the company,” Miller’s statement continued. “Also, we’re able to take a longer-term view of workforce planning.”

 

Beckman Coulter said several factors contributed to the decision. They included the presence of an existing Beckman Coulter operation in Indianapolis; the area’s favorable business environment and low cost of business; its central location and strong engineering and manufacturing workforce; and the state’s strategic focus on life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

 

The company generates $2.4 billion in sales a year manufacturing biomedical testing systems.

 

Shares of Beckman Coulter are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BEC.