Global medtech company BD has confirmed that it plans to cut 60 jobs from its operation in Drogheda, Co Louth over the next 15 months.
There are currently 235 people employed in the Drogheda plant – one of four facilities it has in the country. In a statement, the company, which next year will mark 60 years since it opened in Drogheda, said the pandemic had contributed to the decision.
“During the Covid pandemic, the world experienced extreme shifts in demand for certain products,” it said. “This affected BD in two ways – extremely high demand for products used on Covid patients and lessened demand for products that were not used when non-critical procedures were suspended to increase capacity for Covid patients.”
It added that the company was “right-sizing manufacturing operations to realign current inventory and future demand”.
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“In addition, the Drogheda site has been manufacturing components for Embecta since BD spun off this new, independent, diabetes care company in April 2022. Embecta, which has operations in Dún Laoghaire, will be taking responsibility for manufacturing those components. This results in the reduction of a production line in Drogheda.
“These combined factors will result in a targeted reduction of 60 positions in Drogheda over the course of 15 months to right-size its manufacturing operations with today’s realities.”
BD said it expects, “natural attrition and retirements to reduce the number of employees” impacted by this decision.
“We are committed to treating each person affected by this decision with compassion and respect,” it said.
BD said it remains committed to growing in Ireland and “intends to continue investing in its facilities across the country”.
Last month it opened a new €4 million research and development facility in Blackrock, Dublin and announced an additional €30 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in Enniscorthy, Wexford, which will create about 85 new jobs.
