Lehigh Valley Blood Center to Merge with Central Jersey Blood Center

Officials of Miller-Keystone Blood Center (Bethlehem, PA) and Central Jersey Blood Center (Shrewsbury, NJ) today announced that they have entered into an agreement to pursue a formal merger.

The combined entity currently provides 165,000 blood products annually to hospitals in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“Miller-Keystone Blood Center has a long history of outstanding service and growth in the region, and shares a deep-rooted community connection with Central Jersey Blood Center,” said MKBC President and CEO, Pete Castagna. “Our donors, volunteers, employees and hospital customers understand that special bond that has enabled the center to continue to meet the needs of our community.”

Mr. Castagna and Jersey Blood Bank CEO Pascal George both stressed that the two regional centers remain committed to their local communities and meeting their blood needs.

“The union will improve blood recruitment efforts and enhance the availability and utilization of the region’s blood supply,” explained Mr. George. “Both Central Jersey and Miller-Keystone believe that the joining of our functions will achieve cost savings through economies of scale, joint blood recruitment and collection, shared access to quality assurance programs, and a common data enterprise system.”