Abiomed to bring up to 250 jobs to Athlone

US medical devices firm Abiomed is to bring up to 250 jobs to Athlone in Co Westmeath, the Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has announced.

Massachusetts-headquartered Abiomed specialises in medical technologies designed to assist or

replace the pumping function of the heart.

The new Athlone facility will be responsible for the global manufacture of a particular range of products.

The new jobs will be added as production is scaled upwards at the Athlone facility.

Mary Coughlan said today: "This is excellent news today for Athlone and for Ireland. It is companies of this highly sophisticated nature that we are striving to win. We faced strong global competition for the investment and it is a fantastic result for Ireland."

Abiomed will be seeking personnel with mechanical, electrical and polymer engineering experience, as well as a direct labour force skilled in the micro assembly of medical devices in a clean room setting.