300 new jobs announced in Limerick by US biotechnology company
Three hundred jobs are coming to Limerick as American biotechnology firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals expands its operations.
The jobs come as part of a $100m investment into their Limerick Industrial Operation and Product supply.
The project, supported by IDA Ireland, will see employment rise to 800 by the end of 2018 with a total investment of $750m.
Recruitment is underway for commercial manufacturing, quality assurance, process sciences and various support roles.
The 400,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility is the largest of its kind in Ireland.
"The additional $100 million investment will support the construction of a number of manufacturing suites to increase drug substance production capacity and enable the company to meet demand for its life-transforming medicines for patients with serious diseases," it said.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomed the announcement.
"Regeneron’s decision to expand so significantly is testament to the talent pool and attractive business environment available to companies in Ireland. This planned further expansion by Regeneron in Limerick is a significant contribution to the rejuvenation of the region,” he said.
Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Frances Fitzgerald said it was great news for Limerick and the wider region.
“Regeneron, a leader in the global biopharma industry, set up in Limerick in 2014 and has created a world-class science hub to produce medicine for millions of people," she said.
Dan Van Plew, Executive Vice President and General Manager of IOPS at Regeneron, said gut feel was a part of the site selection.
“I can now confidently say I know Limerick is a place where you can build and thrive as a biotech. We are proud of what has happened here and the vast majority of this work has been completed by people who come from Munster." he said.
Niall O’Leary, Vice President and Site Head, IOPS Raheen, said; “Limerick offers an exceptionally good location for U.S. multinationals. Located just 30 minutes from Shannon Airport with a five hour time difference from New York, Ireland is also a midway point for U.S. executives linking into our partners, such as Bayer in Germany and Sanofi in France. In addition, the very favourable business environment along with the support provided by IDA Ireland and Limerick City and County Council make the city an ideal home for Regeneron.”
Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland, said: “An additional $100 million investment and 300 jobs commitment by Regeneron is a huge boost for the Mid-West Region. Ireland is a hot-spot location for biologics investment and career opportunity in biologics.”
