Johnson & Johnson Vision, the pharmaceutical and consumer goods giant's eye health division, has announced a €35m investment in its facility in Limerick.
The investment has the potential to add 200 new jobs over the next three years, including constructions jobs.
The company, which is part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech, manufactures new medical technologies, and its Limerick operation is one of its largest producers of contact lenses, including the popular Acuvue lenses and Technis intraocular lenses (IOLs) for cataracts.
J&J started operating in Limerick in 1996 with 60 employees, recently celebrating its 25h anniversary in the region, and recruitment is underway for roles in operations (supervisors and product assemblers), engineering (automation and process), and quality (engineering validation; chemistry and micro labs).
"Nearly 2.2bn people around the world face impaired vision, and approximately 20% (200 million) people worldwide suffer vision impairment or blindness caused by cataract or uncorrected refractive error," John Fitzgibbon, operations director for Johnson & Johnson Vision in Ireland, said.
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"With the growth of our manufacturing operations in Limerick we are committed to changing these statistics, helping to solve a lifetime of eye health needs with our IOLs."
Attending the announcement, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Research Niall Collins said: "This investment by Johnson & Johnson Vision in its Limerick plant is significant, and clearly signals their desire to drive, and commit to expanding their advanced manufacturing footprint in Ireland.
"The creation of 200 new jobs for the region also proves we can deliver a talented and skilled workforce ready to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing society. There is no doubt that the Johnson & Johnson Vision operations in Limerick are world-leading, and we can be proud that the results of that work will help people right across the world.”
Gaspar Zuniga, vice president of supply chain for Johnson & Johnson Vision, added: "This investment allows for the continued growth of our facility in Ireland.
"Our 25 years experience working in Ireland is remarkable and the expansion of our site is proof of our employees’ commitment to help more patients around the globe."
Mary Buckley, executive director of IDA Ireland, said the announcement was "good news for the mid-west region" and that the highly talented and skilled workforce in Ireland had enabled J&J's ambitious expansion plans.
"This announcement demonstrates IDA Ireland’s continued commitment to winning Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for regional locations. I wish the team at Johnson & Johnson Vision Ireland every success," she said.
Photo: John Fitzgibbon (left), operations director at Johnson & Johnson Vision in Ireland; Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Research Niall Collins; and Mary Buckley, executive director of IDA Ireland. (Pic: Liam Burke/Press 22)
