New Cashel facility to create 450 high-tech jobs

Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, is to establish a state-of-the-art development and manufacturing facility, for Cashel, Co Tipperary, it was announced today.

The investment, with the support of IDA Ireland, will create more than 450 new high-tech positions during the next three years.

“This investment involves cutting-edge development and high-end manufacturing, described by Cordis as ‘a next generation facility’,” said Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin today. “It will have substantial employment and economic benefits for the people of Cashel and the whole surrounding region, particularly for towns such as Thurles, Tipperary, Cahir and Clonmel.

“I wish to thank Johnson & Johnson, once again, for this further commitment to Ireland, making Cordis its 6th major Irish manufacturing facility.”

Cordis Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of products that treat a wide variety of medical problems associated with coronary artery disease.

The facility will require people with medical devices engineering, technical and laboratory qualifications and skills, development personnel up to PhD level, as well as management and administration staff.

Cordis Corporation plans to build a new 180,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, a development laboratory and a finished goods testing facility. The new operation will be located adjacent to the pharmaceutical manufacturing site for Alza, another Johnson & Johnson company.

The company expects that the new facility will be operational by the first half of 2008.

Victor Chance, worldwide vice-president of Cordis Corporation said: “These new facilities are part of Cordis’ commitment to develop and produce new products to help the millions of people who suffer from coronary artery disease and other vascular conditions.”