US medical device company Surmodics plans to employ 100 new staff in Galway as it pumps nearly €10m into research and development in the county.

Surmodics acquired the Ballinasloe-based Creagh Medical in 2015 and currently employs 32 people at the plant. The 100 further staff members will be added over the next five years.

Alongside the €9.5m R&D investment, the firm is spending €7m to upgrade its Ballinasloe facility.

Surmodics manufactures devices used in the treatment of heart disease and are headquartered in Minnesota.

Roscommon-Gallway TD Denis Naughten said the news was a major boost for the town:

"The creation of 100 jobs in Ballinasloe is the equivalent of 1000 jobs for Galway City, but what is far more significant is the fact that these jobs are in the medical device sector which allows the town of Ballinasloe to attract additional investment from the two existing medical device hubs in Athlone and Galway.

"Both Athlone and Galway have a strong reputation in the medical device sector but with Ballinasloe now having large amounts of industrially zoned lands as well as the most modern water and waste water treatment plants in the country - in the Creagh area of Ballinasloe - the town can now feature highly on any future investment plans in this sector.

"The fact that Ballinasloe has good primary and post primary schools, good sports and recreation infrastructure, a first class hospital and good road and rail connections makes it an ideal location to base this new investment.

"It is important to recognise that this investment for Ballinasloe has come about because of the commitment of Creagh Medical’s existing staff and management team to the US based Lifesciences technologies parent company Surmodics."

Further information on the new roles can be found at creaghmedical.com/careers.