27th November 2017
Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen TD today announced that UK speciality pharmaceutical services company Wasdell Group is to establish a pharmaceutical packaging, testing and distribution facility in Dundalk, creating 300 jobs over five years. The project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.
The privately owned British company’s capability includes clinical trials packing, primary and secondary packaging and distribution of biopharmaceutical products. The company also offers contract manufacturing services with FDA and MHRA approved analytical and microbiology laboratories. The new Dundalk facility will be the company’s EU hub for qualified persons in (QP) release, analytical testing, primary and secondary pharmaceutical packaging and distribution. Wasdell is to build a 70,000 sq. ft. greenfield facility on a c.2.88 hectare site at IDA’s site in Mullagharlin, Dundalk, representing an investment of €30M.
Speaking at today’s announcement, Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen TD said “ Wasdell’s decision to locate this new operation in Dundalk bringing 300 new jobs to the town is a great vote of confidence in what Ireland has to offer, especially in a regional location. The Government has been driving job creation in locations which are away from the bigger cities, and this new operation in Dundalk is a great vindication of that policy. It will provide additional facilities and services for our thriving pharmaceutical sector. This project builds on the tremendous success we have had, in bringing new foreign project to Dundalk which has helped transform the economic standing of the town over a relatively short period.”
Martin Tedham, Wadell Group MD stated: “Due to the rate of growth we are experiencing and the ongoing requirement to maintain capacity, a site in Ireland will be a means to facilitate this as well as an exciting opportunity for the group and specifically the Wasdell Packaging division. We have always had a strong customer base in Ireland and we are certain that this trend will continue with the impending Brexit situation as companies typically from the UK and USA look to securing a base to service their European markets.”
He also stated: “We have always been a business that changes to accommodate the needs of the market and its customer base. Having a facility in Ireland and the European market makes sense and we are very excited about this new opportunity as well as extending our geographical footprint.”
CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan said: “Wasdell’s decision to establish operations in Dundalk is great for the town, for County Louth and Ireland. The Border Region is a key target regional location for investment for us. The company will add to the growing cluster of life sciences companies in Ireland. The availability of this range of clinical and pharmaceutical services will increase the attractiveness of Ireland as an international base for early stage specialty Biopharma companies. It also an ideal example of the type of Brexit linked opportunity IDA is working hard to secure.”
Roles in Wasdell’s new manufacturing plant in Dundalk will include: general management, QA/QC including QPs, production manager and supervisors, laboratory, engineering and maintenance, production operatives, warehouse, finance and administration, health & safety and human resources. For more information on the new roles please email Jobs@wasdell.eu
About the company Wasdell Group is a privately owned speciality pharmaceutical services company headquartered in Swindon, England. It employs 800 staff in Swindon and in its operations in Burnley and Newcastle. Established in 1971, the company is now one of the largest and most experienced contract primary and secondary packaging suppliers to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry in Europe. The company provides clinical trials packing, primary and secondary packaging and distribution of biopharmaceutical products. It also offers contract manufacturing services with FDA and MHRA approved analytical and microbiology laboratories.
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