Janssen Sciences Ireland has said the skill and talent in the Irish workforce made further investment in County Cork an easy choice to make.
The company, which is part of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) group, has announced a €150m investment in its Ringaskiddy plant.
The investment will create 180 full-time jobs facilities, engineering, quality, manufacturing and regulatory affairs.
Construction is already underway and is expected to take around two years to complete.
Janssen Sciences Ireland (JSI) said around 300 people will be employed in the construction phase.
On Breakfast Business this morning, JSI General Manager Gary Hartnett said there are several reasons further investment in Ringaskiddy was attractive to J&J.
“Janssen Sciences has operated a successful pharmaceutical supply chain in Ringaskiddy since 2005 – so we have been here for a long time,” he said.
“The second reason I would say is, we are located right at the heart of Cork’s life sciences hub and that allows us to attract the talent and ensures we have that infrastructure and ecosystem to support the investment.
“Then finally, our workforce here, I am proud to say, is made up of some of the best and brightest minds.
“Our mission at Janssen is to create a world without disease and we have some great people who are transforming the lives of patients here every day here.
“So, to be really clear about it those are the reasons J&J and Janssen would continue to invest in a location like Ireland and Cork.”
The Ringaskiddy site opened in 2005 and currently employs more than 700 people.
The plant manufactures drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis and forms of bone marrow cancer.
You can listen back to Mr Hartnett here:
