Medical equipment manufacturer Pall has announced it is to close its plant in Tipperary with the loss of 94 full and part-time jobs.
David O'Driscoll, general manager of Pall Ireland said the Tipperary plant was underutilised and that the company would be consolidating its manufacturing operations into another facility.
"We have a plant in Tipperary where we are only using a fraction of the available capacity. This impacts our costs. The consolidation is designed to strengthen the company's competitive position, reduce fixed and operating costs, and move operations closer to customers," he said.
"This has not been an easy decision and Pall Ireland is committed to treating employees with dignity and respect."
He said the company would assist and support all those affected by the announcement to "help make the transition as painless as possible".
"We sincerely regret the impact of the closure on our employees and their families. We are proud of them and all we have accomplished together," Mr O'Driscoll said.
The announcement followed a 30-day information and consultation process with the 71 permanent and 23 temporary employees there.
The company expects to complete the closure of the plant by May 31st.
Fine Gael TD for Tipperary South Tom Hayes said it was a black day for the locality.