Estée Lauder to change Melville operations

Estée Lauder Companies plans to move a cosmetic distribution center employing 58 people from Melville to its distribution hub in Pennsylvania.

The company also said it will move fragrance filling operations to Melville from Oakland, N.J., in the next 12 to 14 months, which would add new jobs, and it does "not anticipate a major fluctuation in the actual number of jobs in Melville."

In an emailed statement, the Manhattan-based fragrance and skin-care company said it did "not have the specifics on the number employees who will be transitioned" to Pennsylvania, but it noted, "We are exploring all options to accommodate as many people as we can."

The center is expected to close June 24, according to a state filing under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which requires companies with 50 or more full-time employees to file a notice 90 days before a mass layoff or closing.

The company said moving its fragrance filling operation to Melville "will allow for increased synergies and collaboration" between fragrance and skin care production and with research and development and other Melville-based operations.

"Our manufacturing operations in Melville continue to be strong, and we are expanding our capabilities in that location with the new state-of-the-art fragrance facility," Estée Lauder said.

The expansion will include "a certain number of new jobs in Melville to maintain operations," the company said, and it "will be offering jobs internally first and will explore hiring externally as needed."