Limerick firm doubles staff numbers as it aids vaccine search

Staff at A&C in Limerick which produces raw materials essential for a potential Covid vaccine.

Limerick biopharmaceutical firm A&C said it continuing to hire new workers having already doubled staff numbers this year to meet the demand for raw materials essential to a potential Covid-19 vaccine.

The unprecedented global search for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments has led to a surge in extra work across Ireland's well-established pharmaceutical industry. 

Based in Fedamore, A&C is a global manufacturer of excipients, buffers, process solutions, and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Its Limerick facility became operational in 2018 and, since, sales have increased dramatically along with employment levels doubling in a bid to secure the staff it needs to service its current customers.

The firm also manufactures critical raw materials essential for a potential mRNA Covid vaccine, the manufacturing of which is led by a German vaccine developer - which has now gone to phase III human clinical trials.

Irish director of A&C, Gearoid O’Rourke said the biopharmaceutical sector is in a very privileged position to be able to create the much-needed jobs in Ireland over the last year.

"It was A&C’s expertise and manpower that has afforded us the opportunity to manufacture the crucial raw materials needed for a Covid-19 vaccine and we are working tirelessly to make that happen.”

John Godfrey, Irish Director of A&C also added: “The effects that Covid -19 will have on all industries including the biopharmaceutical industry will no doubt affect us in the short and the long term, but if we are able to create these much-needed jobs in Ireland, we will take that as a very positive outcome in a very turbulent year.”