Cork has received another hi- tech jobs boost with the announcement by the newly appointed Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Martin, of 220 jobs.
The Minister announced that Norwegian pharmaceutical supply company AK Pharmaceuticals is to locate its new engineering centre of excellence in Cork. The 220 jobs will be created over three years.
Mr Martin said the decision by the company, which supplies engineering services to the pharmaceutical industry, to locate its engineering centre at Cork Airport business park in an IDA Ireland-assisted investment, would further enhance Ireland's ability to compete for investment from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
"It's a very significant announcement for Cork and for the country because this is a world-class centre of excellence in engineering," the Minister added.
"It brings in high-quality jobs high up the value chain, offering jobs to graduates. That's the kind of employment we're looking for because that's the type of job that will be secure in the longer term."
Mr Martin said the jobs underpinned the Government strategy of focusing on education and research in terms of attracting high-value chain activities to Ireland.
"We are fortunate in terms of our university infrastructure and the institutes of technology, who have been quite responsive to the needs of industry and who are committed to research.
"This AK Pharmaceuticals investment is in line with the Government's policy and IDA Ireland's strategy of developing this country as a knowledge economy.
"By winning such high-value, knowledge-led and skilled-based investments, we are providing the employment opportunities that the people of this country now expect," he said.
The president of AK Pharmaceuticals, Mr Mark Leggett, said the move to Ireland had come about as a resulting of working and consulting with the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, many of which have operations in Ireland.
"We look forward to making a long-term contribution to the local and national economies," Mr Leggett said.
IDA Ireland's area director south, Ms Mary Buckley, said that as a result of the investment in Cork the company would be able to service customers such as Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol Myers Squibb but also its many customers throughout the European pharmaceutical industry.
AK Pharmaceuticals is part of the engineering and construction division of the Aker Kvaerner Group which was founded in Norway in 1853 and which now has offices in Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore, US and Puerto Rico.
The group employs approximately 21,000 people in some 30 countries worldwide and last year had operating revenues of $4.5 billion.
