Bristol-Myers Squibb announces staff reductions

  Bristol-Myers Squibb announced this week that it will be reducing its total headcount by approximately 10 percent, manufacturing facilities by 50 percent and mature products brands by 60 percent, as the company shifts its commercial and scientific focuses to areas like specialty medicines.
   Bristol-Myers, with corporate headquarters in New York City, is one of the largest private employers in the area, employing approximately 5,000 at facilities in Lawrence, West Windsor, Hopewell Township and Plainsboro. Details on how many of the layoffs would be at these facilities were not released by the company. The reduction in personnel is to occur in 2008 and 2009, according to Bristol-Myers.