Vitamin maker to lay off 250

Longtime vitamin maker Rexall Sundown plans to lay off 250 workers at its offices in Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach and Boca Raton, according to a notice to the state.

The layoff is set to begin on May 1 for a 14-day period, according to the notice filed with the Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity. The plant, warehouse and office will be closed by the year-end, the company said.

Rexall Sundown, which makes Sundown Naturals vitamins and supplements, has operations at 1111 SW 30th Ave. in Deerfield Beach; 1297 Clint Moore Road in Boca Raton; and a warehouse at 3001 Center Port Circle in Pompano Beach.

In February, the Ronkonkoma-based producer of vitamins and nutritional supplements told Newsday it plans to close a plant in Deerfield Beach. Laid-off Florida employees will receive severance and assistance in finding new jobs, according to company spokeswoman Amy von Walter.

At the same time, parent company Nature’s Bounty said it plans to add at least 100 jobs on Long Island this year as it moves the work from Florida.

Bryan Shields, a senior human resources manager, told the state in a letter that the layoffs are part of a consolidation for efficiency and that the offices would eventually be closed. The positions affected include forklift operator, lead project engineer, administrative assistant, material handler, mechanics, truck drivers, quality manager and many more.

The company was founded in South Florida by entrepreneur Carl DeSantis, but sold in 2003 for $250 million to competitor Nature’s Bounty, then called NBTY.