US drug giant Amgen wants to recruit up 750 graduates for its €820 million plant in Cork, which will open in 2009 and employ 1,100 people by 2010.
The group will receive grant assistance from IDA Ireland to develop a new manufacturing complex on a 133-acre greenfield site in Carrigtwohill. Construction will begin later this year after Amgen, the world's biggest biopharmaceutical group, chose not to bring its investment to Switzerland or Singapore, which had sought the project.
The investment is seen as a coup for IDA Ireland, which has as one of its chief objectives a priority on attracting advanced technological projects into the regions. Amgen follows big international drug groups such as Pfizer and Eli Lilly into the Cork region and there is a belief in the investment community that it is likely to increase its presence over time.
The group's decision was welcomed as "superb news" by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin yesterday. "This is a landmark decision and one which is welcomed not just by Cork but by all of Ireland," he said.
"Investments of this scale speak volumes about Ireland's ability to compete and win the most advanced and innovative business from the biggest biotechnology company in the world."
While the value of €820 million on the project is less than the €1.3 billion mooted when The Irish Times disclosed the plans last month, the plant will have capacity for 2,000-2,500 staff when fully developed.
In addition, Amgen's senior vice-president of manufacturing, Dr Fabrizio Bonanni, said the ultimate value on the investment "could well be" greater than the initial sum. Dr Bonanni said there would be 750 jobs for graduates, 120 of them for people holding doctorates and masters degrees.
Established in 1980 in Thousand Oaks, California, Amgen uses DNA and molecular biology technology to make drugs for the treatment of cancer, chronic kidney disease and other conditions. The group is likely to recruit pharmacists, microbiologists and chemical and process engineers for the Cork plant.
The complex will comprise a large-scale biotechnology plant to make bulk protein for drugs through genetic engineering on the DNA in cells. There will also be a "fill and finish" plant in which the protein will be incorporated into drug products.
"As demand for our products continued to grow in Europe, our company recognised the need for capacity closer to this important market," said Dr Bonanni.
"We chose Ireland due to its thriving biotechnology community, infrastructure to support biologics manufacturing and pro-business environment."
The decision was welcomed by Cork Institute of Technology, whose head of development said the investment was an "excellent result" for IDA Ireland. Cork Chamber of Commerce president Roger Flack said the project was "the most significant investment in Cork since Pfizer established its plant 40 years ago".
