McNeil: 225 layoffs at Las Piedras plant

The McNeil unit said Tuesday that 225 employees would be laid off as it works to reduce the complexity of operations at the plant. The cuts represent more than 25 percent of the workforce there.

Vice-President for Communications Barbara Montresor says the cuts are part of an effort to modernize a plant that had been cited for deficiencies by the FDA. She said the company is automating processes and taking other steps to improve technology at the Las Piedras plant, which produces Extra Strength Tylenol and regular Tylenol.

In March 2011, the FDA slapped a consent decree on consumer products maker Johnson & Johnson that allowed it to keep its McNeil plant in Las Piedras plant open under tighter oversight by an outside monitor.

The FDA consent decree was filed against McNeil for failing to comply with current good manufacturing practice requirements as required by federal law, subjecting the company to years of additional outside oversight.

The McNeil plant in Las Piedras had 800 employees.

The plant is operating at a limited capacity, but company officials said it would not be shut down. McNeil said it is making a sizable investment to automate processes there.