Chanelle to create 60 jobs as it relocates pet distribution business

Medicine maker moves some business away from Loughrea in new €5m investment

Chanelle Pharma founder Michael Burke. Photograph: Michael Dillon
Chanelle Pharma founder Michael Burke. Photograph: Michael Dillon

Chanelle Pharma is to create 60 jobs in Ballinasloe, Co Galway over the next five years as part of a €5 million investment.

The company, which employs 570 people at its corporate headquarters in Loughrea, also has offices and warehouses in Oranmore.

Chanelle Pharma, which is privately owned by its founder Michael Burke, is the Republic's largest manufacturer of generic medicines for human and animal health, achieving sales of more than €149 million to April 30th, 2021, an 11 per cent increase year on year.

The company has grown its business each year since it was founded in 1985.

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The group is to relocate its Chanelle Pet distribution business from Loughrea to IDA Ireland’s business and technology park in Ballinasloe, while work is under way on warehousing and new manufacturing operations at the 65,000sq ft facility.

The company is also to convert the existing Chanelle Pet premises in Loughrea to a new 35,000sq ft manufacturing plant.

‘Strong market demand’

“Chanelle Pharma continues to grow and our Loughrea HQ is now at capacity. Despite the global pandemic we continue to see strong market demand for both our animal and human health products,” said Mr Burke who is one of 24 finalists in this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

“Our future delivery pipeline is extensive and we are continuing to invest in and improve our manufacturing operations to further increase our delivery performance to our customers,” he added.

Chanelle Pharma exports to 96 countries and supplies 10 of the top 12 human generic multinational companies in the world and 10 of the top 12 animal health multinational companies globally. It holds more than 1,900 product licences for human health products worldwide and 3,500 product licences for animal health.

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor is a former Irish Times business journalist