Biotech giant to create 40 jobs at Cork hub

A global biotech giant announced 40 new jobs yesterday as it began commissioning its new Irish manufacturing plant — its first outside the US.

Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton hailed BioMarin’s investment and expansion at the former Pfizer plant in Shanbally, near Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, as a major success for the IDA.

“This is the first time BioMarin are internationalising out of the US,” he said.

“When Pfizer closed here in 2009, there was obviously huge disappointment, but the IDA and the Government committed that every effort would be made to find a new investor — and that has been delivered.

“That story, one of transformation, one of reinvention, adaptability, that’s the exciting part here.”

BioMarin, supported by the IDA Ireland, set up in Cork in Aug 2011, and announced the creation of 100 jobs — 50 of which are already in place.

It launched the start of the construction, validation and commissioning phase of the Shanbally plant yesterday.

The company said as a result of global demand for its products, it will create a further 40 positions by 2015, including manufacturing and manufacturing sciences and technology, facilities and engineering, quality, information technology, finance and administration.

It has also partnered with several local engineering firms to retrofit the plant’s manufacturing sciences and quality control labs, with new gas, water and electricity infrastructure.

This work will create at least 65 further contract jobs from March, with construction continuing right up to the start of manufacturing activities in 2015.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc’s chief executive Jean-Jacques Bienaime said the company was entering an exciting phase here.

“We are delighted to have chosen Cork as the hub for our European manufacturing operations and have great confidence that the Shanbally facility will be key to our future developments globally,” he said.

The announcement was one of two major jobs boosts for Cork yesterday.

Innovation Minister Sean Sherlock announced the establishment of the Irish Photonic Integration Centre (IPIC) at the Tyndall National Institute in the city.

The €30m research centre will bring together over 100 researchers from Tyndall, UCC, CIT, and DCU, and 18 industry partners.