GE Healthcare to create 140 jobs in Cork

GE Healthcare is to create 140 new jobs as part of a $40m investment in its manufacturing facility in Carrigtwohill, Cork.

The company medical imaging contrast media and already employs 500 people in East Cork.

The investment which is supported by IDA Ireland, will double the Carrigtwohill facility’s production capacity from 22.5 million to 43 million units per year.

Paschal McCarthy, Managing Director, Global Supply Chain at GE Healthcare said: "Today’s announcement represents a key development in the journey of our facility here in Carrigtwohill.

"We are proud to be part of GE Healthcare’s Life Sciences division as it grows and positions itself to meet the international demand for precision medicine, biologics and other advanced medicines such as cell and immunotherapies.

"Most importantly, this investment in our facility represents a significant vote of confidence in our people and their commitment to delivering the very best possible products available in the market."

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD said: "Manufacturing is a key sector which we have targeted as part of our Action Plan for Jobs.

"This is an area which was neglected in recent decades but we have put in place a range of measures to support growth and in recent years we have seen a strong jobs performance.

"Today’s announcement that GE Healthcare is investing $40m and creating an extra 140 jobs in Carrigtwohill is a great boost for Cork and for manufacturing in Ireland. I wish Paschal and the team every success with this project."

Welcoming the expansion, Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said: "The life sciences sector continues to thrive in Ireland.

"This increase in the production of this diagnostic tool is a real endorsement of the Carrigtwohill facility by GE Healthcare. IDA Ireland will continue to target further investment in this sector in the coming months."

Established in 1992, GE Healthcare’s Cork facility fills, packs, and distributes contrast media used in medical scans to aid the diagnosis of disease to more than 80 markets internationally.

Contrast media is commonly used during MRI scans and may be ingested by or injected into a patient in order to improve the visibility of the body’s internal structure.

Today’s announcement builds on the development of a $10m production suite at the Carrigtwohill facility in 2012 which saw the site’s manufacturing capacity increase by more than 50% at that time.