Beckman Coulter Inc. said Wednesday it plans to close down operations in Palo Alto by the end of 2008 and cut about 220 jobs.
Fullerton-based Beckman makes medical testing instruments and supplies.
The Palo Alto work is set to move to the Indianapolis area, Beckman said in a release, adding it was making the move to reduce costs and help it with recruitment and retention.
Beckman’s Palo Alto operations mainly do development and manufacturing of centrifuges used in the company’s research and medical testing equipment.
The company said it didn’t expect the action to affect its 2006 results and plans to give more details of the change and how it might affect 2007 and beyond during its upcoming fourth-quarter conference call.
Beckman’s retooled some of its distribution and manufacturing functions in recent months under Chief Executive Scott Garrett, who took over for longtime leader John Wareham in early 2005.
The moves have included combining six small West Coast warehouses in a new, sprawling distribution center in Chino and outsourcing the production of some electronics that go into its products.
