A US-owned producer of precision wire products for the medical devices industry is to establish a European manufacturing and distribution centre at Castlebar, Co Mayo, which will create 80 jobs, the Tánaiste announced yesterday.
Fort Wayne Metals Research Products is to invest €3.4 million (£2.68 million) in the project, which will be supported by the IDA. It will be the first tenant at the new IDA Business and Technology Park in Castlebar.
"The company is currently focusing its growth strategy on the European market," Ms Harney said, "and this new Irish operation will be an integral part of that strategy."
It was an important investment for the medical devices industry and Co Mayo, she said - because of the employment setbacks suffered in the county in recent months: "It will further strengthen the healthcare supplier base in Ireland - as well as Ireland's reputation as the leading location for healthcare investment in Europe."
In addition, it will provide skilled employment opportunities in Castlebar and give "an enormous boost" to the local economy.
Fort Wayne will manufacture precision wire for the medical devices industry in Europe, where it has a strong customer base.
The operation will be housed in a 25,000 sq ft facility which the company expects to complete by the end of the year. Fort Wayne is to partner the National Centre of Biomedical Engineering Science at NUI Galway in research projects, according to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Development.