Nature's Bounty to add at least 100 jobs on Long Island

Nature’s Bounty Co. plans to add at least 100 jobs on Long Island this year as it moves work from Florida to a Bohemia plant and begins round-the-clock operations at another local factory.

The Ronkonkoma-based producer of vitamins and nutritional supplements plans to close a plant in Deerfield Beach, Florida, eliminating more than 200 jobs over the next nine months, said spokeswoman Amy von Walter. The work, which consists of filling millions of bottles with vitamins and then placing them in shipping boxes, will shift to 90 Orville Dr. in Bohemia, she said.

Laid-off Florida employees will receive severance and assistance in finding new jobs, von Walter said.

She said the factory closing is part of a larger plan to become more competitive.

“We have found several opportunities to further consolidate our supply chain to increase efficiency, address excess packaging capacity and freight mileage, and strengthen cost competitiveness,” she said.

The factory closing in Florida, along with the move of some warehouse operations from that state to Pennsylvania and Nevada, is the latest streamlining by Nature’s Bounty. Two years ago it closed two facilities in California.

Separately, Nature’s Bounty is hiring for its plant at 815 Grundy Ave. in Holbrook, which is to begin 24-hour operations to meet increased demand, von Walter said.

Some of the company’s 10 factories in Suffolk County already operate around the clock.

Nature's Bounty expects to hire a total of 150 to 200 people this year on Long Island, to accommodate the transfer of work from Florida and to fill vacant positions, she said. 

The company employs about 2,000 people at 11 local facilities. Its products are sold under brand names that include Body Fortress, Ester-C, MET-Rx, Nature’s Bounty, Osteo Bi-Flex, Organic Doctor, Pure Protein, Solgar and Sundown.

By James T. Madore

james.madore@newsday.comJamesTMadore

James T. Madore writes about Long Island business news including the economy, development, and the relationship between government and business. He previously served as Albany bureau chief.