Biopharmaceutical company Centocor is to invest in a major manufacturing facility in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, which will create up to 330 jobs over five years. The Government has agreed IDA Ireland support for the €500m project, subject to EU approval.
Centocor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, plans to construct a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing centre of excellence at the 100-acre IDA site at Barnahely in Ringaskiddy. The facility will incorporate fermentation and purification processes.
It is expected that 60% of employees in the new facility will have a science or relevant discipline and an additional 10% will hold masters or PhD qualifications.
'This investment has major implications for Ireland, and particularly, its value to Ireland's reputation as an attractive, inward investment location cannot be overstated,' commented Tanaiste Mary Harney at the announcement of the new jobs.
'This is a major achievement for IDA Ireland and can only be described as a major coup for the country. I am proud to say that, once again, against intense competition, Ireland has been selected by one of the most successful pharmaceutical companies in the world for such a major investment,' she added.
Johnson & Johnson has four IDA-supported companies in Ireland, employing over 1,300 people. Its Janssen Pharmaceutical plant in Cork employs 260 people. 95 people work at the company's Alza Ireland plant in Cashel, Co Tipperary, while 450 people work at Johnson & Johnson's Vistakon Ireland plant in Limerick. Another 515 are employed at the DePuy Ireland plant, also at Ringaskiddy.
