Medical device manufacturer Braun shifting Caribbean plants

Medical device manufacturer Braun shifting Caribbean plants    German-based medical device manufacturer B. Braun Melsungen AG said it will close its plant in Puerto Rico and shift production to other locations, including an existing facility in the Dominican Republic.
   The shift will come in phases, with about 80 positions eliminated in March and a total of 400 jobs cut by the end of the year, said Felipe Sandoval, plant general manager, in a statement.
   He said the changes are part of a plan to cut costs by consolidating manufacturing operations. Devices now made in Puerto Rico and shipped to an international customer base will be produced at factories in the Dominican Republic, Italy, Brazil and Pennsylvania.