A leading global medical technical firm has announced the creation of 100 jobs in Co Limerick. BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co) is to invest €21 million in a research and development centre of excellence in Limerick city. The investment includes an extensive renovation of the former UniGolf facility in the National Technology Park.
Once completed, it is planned to house more than 200 high-tech positions, including more than 100 existing BD jobs. The facility will initially be focused on product and software development, clinical research instrumentation, and prototype development, primarily for the company’s life sciences businesses.
BD chief medical officer Ellen Strahlman described Ireland as “an important part of our growth plans” and the Limerick centre of excellence as “foundational in our objective to build an agile, world-class global organisation to deliver an research and development portfolio that drives growth”.
The company’s plan will require significant hiring of research and development associates, collaboration with local universities, and the development of new technical capabilities. “Areas served by activities and products arising from our new research and development centre of excellence will include the fields of microbiology and molecular biology, clinical and cellular research analysis, and industrial microbiology,” Ms Strahlman said.
“Customers will include hospitals, laboratories and clinics, reference laboratories, industrial laboratories, physicians’ office practices, alternate site health care, academic and government institutions and research facilities.”
Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell O’Connor said in Limerick that the life sciences sector made a “huge contribution to the Irish economy in terms of jobs and exports and is one of our fastest-growing sectors”.
