US medical device business\u00a0Edwards Lifesciences\u00a0is to create an additional 250 jobs at its\u00a0Limerick\u00a0manufacturing site, bringing the total number employed there to 850.<\/p>\n
The announcement coincides with the official opening on Friday of its operations in\u00a0Castletroy\u00a0in Limerick, where the company will make sophisticated heart valves. The US firm broke ground at the site in 2019, initially promising to create 600 jobs there.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur announcement illustrates the continued growth of our company globally and demonstrates our confidence to the midwest of\u00a0Ireland. By expanding our presence in the area we aim to create a hub for\u00a0Europe\u00a0and bring us closer to the patients in the region who will receive these life-saving therapies,\u201d chairman and chief executive of Edwards Lifesciences\u00a0Michael Mussallem\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
Employees at the plant will manufacture transcatheter therapies to repair or replace damaged heart valves.<\/p>\n
Edwards Lifesciences first set up in Ireland in 2018 when it opened a premises in the Shannon Free Zone , where it now employs 250 people.<\/p>\n
The initial investment in the Castletroy premises was announced in October 2018 as \u20ac80 million. However, in 2019 the company said it would increase that figure to \u20ac160 million. The additional investment by Edwards in its Limerick operation included the purchase of additional land, the construction of a larger facility to allow for possible future expansion, and the integration of upgraded technology.<\/p>\n
The news was welcomed by T\u00e1naiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment\u00a0Leo Varadkar.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to be back in Limerick to officially open this fantastic new facility for Edwards Lifesciences,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s an enormous vote of confidence in the midwest region and the talent, skills and experience on offer here. Congratulations to the team involved, and the very best of luck with this remarkable expansion.\u201d<\/p>\n
IDA Ireland\u00a0chief executive\u00a0Martin Shanahan\u00a0said the investment was \u201cterrific news\u201d for the midwest region and for Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt demonstrates the company\u2019s commitment to the region and its ambitions for its operations here. IDA Ireland remains committed to winning jobs and investment in regional locations.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US company brings headcount to 850 at medical device facility<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3954,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-careers","category-economy","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n