One of the world's top pharmaceutical companies has completed a €17 million expansion of its plant in Killorglin, Co Kerry.
The Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Mr Martin said the 27,000 square foot extension at Fujisawa Ireland Limited's plant in Killorglinwould provide much-needed additional production space for the new operation.
The centre is a pharmaceutical finishing plant, which was established in 1991 with IDA Ireland support. Although initially proposed to employ only 27 employees, it has grown significantly over the years to its current level of 280 people.
Mr Martin said the company's Irish management were to be congratulated for winning this investment and worked very closely with IDA in securing it.
"This is a very important investment for the Killorglin operation as it gives the facility an integral role in the future strategic business of the company and consolidates the operation in the town," he added. The majority of employees at the plant hold third-level qualifications.
It manufactures Prograf, an immunosuppressant used to prevent rejection by the recipient of newly transplanted organs, which is distributed to more than 60 countries worldwide.
The Irish operation of Fujisawa involves two distinct facilities in Killorglin, Fujisawa Ireland Limited and Klinge Pharma, which employs 84 people in the manufacture of bulk pharmaceuticals. Fujisawa is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Japan and it employs 8,000 people worldwide.
Fujisawa and Yamanouchi announced in February of this year that they have agreed to merge by April 2005 to form a newly combined company which will rank 17th in the world pharmaceutical market.