Pharmaceutical company adds to jobs bonanza with 150 new positions

ANOTHER 150 jobs are to be announced for the south-east today in an expected boom for Waterford to be confirmed by Health Minister, Micheál Martin.

The new jobs at pharmaceutical manufacturer, Pinewood Healthcare, on the Waterford/Tipperary border, brings to 1,150 the number of jobs confirmedfor the region in the past few days.

Just last week, Tánaiste Mary Harney announced 1,000 new jobs for Clonmel, Co Tipperary, at US-owned medical giant, Guidant.

Pinewood Healthcare, established in 1976 in Ballymacarbry, manufactures and distributes a wide range of intensive care products for the Irish, British and world markets.

It is understood that 50 of the jobs will come on stream immediately.

Health Minister Micheal Martin is due to pay a visit to the plant today.

Pinewood Healthcare is comprised of international sales, contract manufacturing and packaging and hospital products.

The company supplies its product range to over 98% of pharmacies in Ireland direct and have exported worldwide for more than 20 years.

Reacting to the imminent jobs announcement, recently elected Fine Gael TD Dinny Dunne said that it was a terrific boost to the area, following so soon on last week’s employment bonanza.

“Fortunately the town and environs have never been hit badly by recession as major companies such as the drinks company Bulmers, pharmaceutical giants Clonmel Healthcare, Pinewood Laboratories and Merck, Sharp and Dohme operate from here.”