Pharmaceutical company aiming to create 300 Limerick jobs
An American drug company is aiming to create 300 new jobs in Limerick as part of a proposed €217m investment.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is taking over the site of the former Dell factory at the Raheen Business Park in Limerick, which closed in 2009.
If the company secures planning permission to transform the 12-acre site, construction will begin next year employing 600 builders on the project.
Regeneron said it hopes to have its new campus open in 2016 and will be hiring scientists, engineers, technicians and administrative staff.
The company develops drugs to treat some forms of cancer and sight loss.
“Regeneron is one of the largest and fastest-growing biopharmaceutical companies in the United States," said Daniel Van Plew, Regeneron’s Senior VP & GM of Industrial Operations and Product Supply.
“Pending planning approval, Limerick will become our second industrial production site, expanding our manufacturing capacity into Europe and facilitating the delivery of a growing supply of medicines for patients worldwide.”
“Ireland has a highly educated work force and a strong biopharma industry while the Irish Government has an unparalleled commitment to education and training for pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality assurance, quality control and supply logistics," Mr Van Plew continued.
"We hope to work with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training (NIBRT) and are already in discussions with the universities and colleges in Limerick about future possibilities."
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the announcement was great news for Limerick.
"The company is making a major commitment to Ireland by refurbishing an unoccupied facility in Raheen Business Park, creating a substantial number of both construction and long-term permanent jobs," Minister Noonan said.
"I welcome Regeneron to Limerick and offer the company my enthusiastic support. I look forward to meeting Regeneron senior executives when I travel to New York in January and discussing their plans for Limerick."
