Alexion expands Irish facility
The Connecticut-headquartered firm — which works on treatments for people carrying ultra-rare and life-threatening disorders — yesterday announced the creation, within the next two years, of 200 full-time jobs via the building of its third facility here; a new €75m global supply chain facility at Blanchardstown, west Dublin.
Another 200 jobs are to be indirectly created through the construction of the new facility, which is due to open in 2016/17.
Alexion already employs more than 60 people at a site in Park West, in Dublin. In February, the company announced plans to build another facility in Athlone. Stretching over the three facilities, Alexion will employ around 300 people in Ireland within the next two years or so.
In Dublin for his company’s announcement, Alexion chief executive Leonard Bell said the moves cement management’s commitment to Ireland “as a key location” for the company’s global supply chain operations.
“Our choice of Ireland reflects the calibre of the workforce and the country’s culture of innovation. We look forward to an ongoing partnership with the Government, IDA Ireland and local communities in the years to come,” he added.
Alexion was recently recognised by Forbes Magazine, in the US, as the world’s second most innovative business; something noted by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny at yesterday’s announcement, when stressing the significance of such a vote of confidence in the country on behalf of another big multinational.
Similarly, the significance of the announcement wasn’t lost on IDA Ireland chief Barry O’Leary, who said training programmes — such as those provided by the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training — have helped provide a skilful workforce for incoming companies.
“Alexion is one of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies. Their choice of Ireland as a location for their business is an endorsement of the strong infrastructure we have available for pharma companies,” Mr O’Leary said.
