PLAINSBORO, N.J. (AP) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. plans to eliminate the jobs of about 200 support service workers at its Plainsboro and other central New Jersey offices, the company announced.
The cuts will take place over the next year as the pharmaceutical company's marketing, information technology and finance operations are consolidated at a new facility in the Tampa, Fla., area, where costs are lower.
The company said the 200 workers losing their jobs include 100 contractors.
"The high cost of staffing and operating our facilities in New Jersey has made it difficult to control our expenses, especially as we grow," spokesman Frederick Egenolf said. "Moving these jobs to Tampa will help us realize significant cost savings for labor and facilities over time, while also reducing demand on our existing facilities in New Jersey by providing additional room for growth."
The cuts represent only a small percentage of the company's workforce in New Jersey, where it employs more than 6,000 at its global research, commercial and manufacturing headquarters.
Bristol-Myers is not closing any of its facilities in New Jersey, the company spokesman said, noting the state "remains an important source of highly skilled workers for our company."
The state of Florida announced last week that Bristol-Myers, with a promise of tax incentives, had chosen the Tampa area to build a center to consolidate support services. The company said most of the jobs would be filled by people living in the Tampa area.
Bristol-Myers, with a global workforce of 28,000, recorded $17.6 billion in net sales in 2012.