Bausch + Lomb is preparing to cut 119 jobs at its Kirkwood-area manufacturing plant, according to state filings and local reporting. The reductions are described as permanent, with layoffs expected to roll out from August through December at the facility that produces ophthalmic surgical products.
State filing lists 119 cuts
According to the Missouri Office of Workforce Development WARN listing, Bausch & Lomb has notified state officials that 119 positions at its Kirkwood operation are slated for elimination effective Aug. 10, 2026. The publicly available WARN notice lists the company name, the location and the number of affected employees, serving as the official record of the filing with state workforce authorities.
Local reporting adds timeline
As reported by the St. Louis Business Journal, the company described the positions as being permanently eliminated and laid out a schedule that starts in August and runs through December. That reporting attributes both the total number of jobs and the layoff timeline to details in the state notice. The Business Journal published its account on June 9, 2026.
What the Kirkwood plant does
According to Bausch + Lomb Surgical, the Kirkwood site in Tree Court Industrial Park manufactures ophthalmic surgical devices and related instruments. The company’s contact and product pages connect the St. Louis-area facility to production of surgical tools and intraocular lenses, indicating that the cuts are focused on manufacturing and production support roles.
Industry context
The Kirkwood move is arriving in a year when medtech and biopharma employers have been trimming manufacturing and operations jobs in multiple markets. Coverage by BioPharma Dive and other layoff trackers cites dozens of planned reductions across the sector as companies work to cut costs and consolidate production capacity. Analysts say firms are juggling inventory needs with pressure to boost operational efficiency.
What’s next for workers
The federal WARN Act requires covered employers to provide 60 calendar days of advance notice before qualifying plant closings or mass layoffs, and state WARN filings typically trigger outreach from workforce agencies. The U.S. Department of Labor’s WARN guidance spells out those notice requirements, and Missouri’s WARN listing serves as the public record of Bausch & Lomb’s submission. Employees affected by the Kirkwood cuts can contact local Missouri job centers for unemployment assistance, retraining programs and job placement resources tied to the filing.
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