Updated 13.00

Almost 150 jobs have been announced for Limerick at two different companies.

100 new jobs have been announced at the Three Mobile customer care centre in Limerick.

It comes with the transfer of jobs in customer care from a centre in Mumbai, India to the west of Ireland.

450 people are now employed at Three's Limerick centre.

The move is thought to be in response to customer demands.

Meanwhile MECO, a manufacturer of products for water purification, is to open its European headquarters in the National Technology Park in Limerick, creating 44 positions.

The development is supported by the Department of Jobs through IDA Ireland.

"Europe continues to enjoy positive growth in the biopharmaceutical markets and represents opportunities for our other focus industries," said MECO's President George Gsell.

"Our fully staffed, strategically located office in Ireland will service our existing customers as well as support our planned expansion of new customers throughout Europe".

Over the past 10 years MECO has grown its portfolio of drug manufacturers, oil and gas producers and food and beverage companies in Europe.

The company holds 27 patents for a variety of water purification technologies.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said: "Today's announcement that MECO, a leading engineering and manufacturing company in the water area, is establishing a new operation in Limerick and creating 44 jobs is an important boost for the Mid West, and I wish George and his team every success with this project".

Founded in 1939, MECO launched its business with the patent for using vapour compression distillation for desalination of seawater in the early years of offshore oil exploration and the US armed forces in World War II.

From there the company broadened its scope to become a leader serving the biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, oil and gas, industrial, military and power generation industries.