Pharma packaging group West announces 330 jobs for Dublin

Specialist in packaging medicines Western pharmaceutical services has become the first major multinational to announce an investment in Ireland following the US presidential election in which Donald Trump returned to power on a platform that included bringing production from American companies back to the United States.

The company, headquartered in the key swing state of Pennsylvania, has announced the creation of 330 jobs in a significant expansion of its manufacturing base in Dublin. The move will increase Ireland’s workforce by more than a quarter.

West specializes in solutions for administering medicines via injection. The latest expansion is driven by the dramatic increase in demand for injectable treatments for diabetes diabetes And obesity.

Since then, the demand for obesity therapies has increased Ozempica type 2 diabetes drug made by Danish group Novo Nordisk proved to be an effective weight loss treatment after its launch in 2017 and subsequent celebrity endorsement by high-profile Hollywood figures.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, the two companies leading the charge in obesity treatment, are both under significant pressure to increase supply.

Eli Lilly formally opened an $800 million expansion of its Kinsale facility in Cork in September to try to meet demand for the company’s obesity drugs, while Novo Nordisk last year completed the former Elan Drug Technologies factory in Athlone and took over an 85 hectare site in West Dublin. while production is ramped up.

West said the expansion of its Damastown contract manufacturing site, including the construction of a 150,000-square-foot building on the site, “reflects West’s strategy to meet the growing needs of its customers with both products and service offerings.”

West saw profits from its Irish operations rise by 63 percent to 78.3 million euros in 2022, the last year for which figures are available, thanks to a 24 percent increase in turnover.

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“Our Dublin facility has been in business for more than 25 years and has seen continued growth and we are excited to grow our team and expand our capabilities for our valued customers,” said Tom Clarke, vice president of operations, contract manufacturing at West, who said: The latest investment “reinforces the importance of West’s Irish operations to the company’s global strategy”.

“This expansion of our Dublin location is an example of West’s commitment to co-innovation and co-development with our customers to help them achieve their mission of advancing and delivering critical treatments to patients,” he said. Recruitment had already begun for positions in several areas, including automation, process, validation, quality and maintenance engineers and technicians, he said, as well as production supervisors and operators, toolmakers and operations leaders.

Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, which is supporting the expansion, said: “The creation of these 330 new jobs by West is a significant boost to our medical device and healthcare ecosystem. This investment highlights the strength of our medical technology sector and reinforces our commitment to driving innovation and growth in the industry.”

West employs more than 1,200 people at factories in Dublin and Waterford, where the company specializes in finishing rubber stoppers used in vaccines – a business that has expanded significantly during the Covid pandemic.

Emer HigginsMinister of State for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, welcomed the employment announcement. “I understand that recruitment is already underway for a range of roles including engineers, technicians and operators, all of which provide fantastic employment opportunities for local residents and even graduates from the nearby University of Technology.”

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