Two US companies are expanding their Irish operations in Mayo and Dublin in moves expected to result in about 250 new jobs within three years. In addition, a centre to train operatives for the auto-turning industry is to be set up in Mayo.
Allergan Pharmaceuticals has started recruiting for an expansion of its eye-care products plant in Westport, Co Mayo, which is expected to lead to 170 new jobs over three years.
An expansion by Industrial Design Corporation (IDC) in Tallaght in Dublin is expected to create at least 75 new jobs by the second quarter of 1998.
Allergan already employs about 740 people in Westport and 45 in Dublin, and its expansion will make the Westport operation the largest eye-care products plant in the world. The new plant is part of a restructuring of Allergan's operations worldwide. Allergan will build and equip a 45,000 sq ft extension to its plant. World-wide manufacturing of sterile tablets will be consolidated in the Westport plant which will also supply all the eye-care products for the Japanese market. Announcing the expansion, the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney said: "This major expansion is another manifestation of this Government's regional development policies in action. I have instructed the development agencies to give a special push to the West." Allergan set up its first Irish plant in Westport in 1978. The facility, which produces sterile solutions and tablets for contact lens care, is the single largest manufacturing plant in the worldwide group. The company set up a second Irish plant in 1992. This plant now employs 40 people manufacturing an injectible solution for treating involuntary muscular spasms and other prescription eye care products
In April, the company set up a service subsidiary in Dublin to service its European customers. Some 45 people are already employed and the target is 90 employees within two years. The group employs more than 6,000 throughout the world. It has sales of $1.2 billion (£790 million) spread across 100 countries.
IDC, a high-technology industrial design and construction company which currently employs 150 people in Dublin, will build a new 18,000 sq ft plant in Tallaght, to extend its level of European business from its Irish base. IDC first opened in Dublin in 1993 as the European headquarters for group. IDC is an employee-owned company which specialises in design, construction, management and equipment installation services for international microelectronics, pharmaceutical, chemical and food industry clients. Operations manager, Mr John Dowling said that IDC was responding to the rapid development of technology-intensive manufacturing operations throughout Europe.
In another jobs development for Co Mayo, Ms Harney announced yesterday that a new auto-turning centre would be set up in Ballina. The centre will employ four staff and will train 16 operatives for the auto-turning industry (turning metals by machine) each year. The industry employs some 500 machine operators and setters and there are expected to be good job opportunities for highly-trained staff in the future.
FAS, the national training agency, will give `significant financial aid" to the new centre, according to Ms Harney. The centre would help enhance the competitiveness of the Irish auto-turning industry which was already ahead of its British and US competitors on price and quality, she said.
