Irish medical devices company Technopath is to create 40 jobs in Co Tipperary as part of a €3 million investment.

The company, which was set up in 1997 and began manufacturing in Ballina in 2005, is seeking to increase its manufacturing capability and export capability. It is investing in its quality control division, which makes products for multinational in-vitro diagnostic companies to monitor the quality of hospital lab blood tests.

Technopath co-founder Malcolm Bell said today’s announcement was the culmination of a five-year programme of research & development and a €6 million investment.

“Our long-term growth strategy is to develop niche, innovative, breakthrough technologies and to deploy these technologies globally,” he said.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton welcomed the investment, describing it as good news for the life sciences sector.

“A central part of the Government’s plan for jobs and growth is creating a powerful engine of indigenous enterprise,” he said. “Over recent years we have established major strengths in key sectors such as ICT and life sciences – we must now build on this to get more indigenous companies growing to scale, exporting more and creating more jobs.”