MSD Ireland has announced its plans to create 330 new Irish jobs as part of a €280 million investment in Carlow and Cork.
The pharma giant – which trades as Merck in North America – unveiled its three-year plans for two of its Irish manufacturing sites this morning.
The new jobs come as a result of increased global demand for MSD’s medicines and vaccines produced in Ireland, while the investment will see both sites expand production facilities and capacity to meet that demand.
Available roles at the sites include technical, engineering, biochemistry, biology, quality and operations positions.
The announcement was welcomed by the Minster for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, who addressed over 1,200 senior MSD business leaders from 50 countries, gathered in Dublin for MSD’s annual EMEAC (Europe, Middle East, Africa & Canada) Congress.
MSD in Brinny, Co Cork, is an integrated site for the development, testing and manufacturing of biologics, specialising in the fermentation, purification and sterile filling of biotech products.
More than 200 new hires will be needed to meet demand for its work on some of the company's important treatments – medicines for lung cancer, melanoma, hepatitis C and rheumatoid arthritis.
MSD in Carlow, which is the company’s first standalone vaccine and biologics facility outside the US, plans to create 120 new roles.
Minister Mitchell O'Connor said:
"MSD has been at the cutting edge of bio pharmaceutical innovation over recent years and their Irish operations are at the heart of many of the company's exciting new products.
"It is particularly gratifying that this expansion and additional job creation will take place in two regional locations, thereby strengthening the Government's efforts to ensure balanced industrial development around the country.”
Sanat Chattopadhyay, MSD executive vice president andpresident of MSD’s manufacturing division, said:
"The expansion of our presence in Ireland is a testament to the talent of our Irish employees. In recent years our Irish businesses have played an increasingly important role in the production of some of MSD’s most important breakthrough medicines for the global market.”
Ger Brennan, managing director of MSD Human Health in Ireland, said:
"Today, our Irish sites are involved in the production of over 50% of MSD’s global top 20 products, exporting to over 60 countries worldwide and helping lead the development of new life-changing medicines for patients, including MSD’s new treatments for cancer and hepatitis C.”
MSD currently employs over 1,600 people across four sites in Ireland – in Carlow, Cork, Dublin and Tipperary. Its extensive Irish operations, encompassing manufacturing, commercial, global financial services and marketing facilities, had a turnover of €4.7 billion in 2016.
The Carlow and Cork bases serve as important links in MSD’s global network of manufacturing plants. It maintains headquarters for the company and manufacturing division in the US.
