US-Irish boost: John Sisk & Son marks 160 years of excellence
John Sisk & Son, founded in Cork, has delivered projects for many of the pioneering and cutting-edge life science facilities across Ireland, including some of the most high profile US FDI investment programmes.
John Sisk & Son was established over 160 years ago in Cork and our fifth-generation family-owned business has been at the forefront of innovative Life Sciences and ICT Information for decades, constructing over €3 billion in biopharma facilities in Ireland alone since 2000 for key blue-chip US multinational clients looking to establish in Ireland or working with those already here, through our dedicated and hugely experienced teams.
Recognising the need to retain specialist skills in this unique area, Sisk have dedicated teams who work in the Life Sciences sector. Together, they bring their experience of projects in Pharmachem, Biotechnology, Gene Therapy, Medical Devices, R&D, QC Laboratories, & Associated Facilities to each new brief we receive. Our teams have the specialist skills in abundance to take a Life Science project from pre-construction right through to final handover commissioning and open qualification/validation.
Every Sisk employees’ actions and behaviours are what make the biggest difference to our safety performance. This sets the highest standards all the time and helps our people become role models for those who look to us for leadership, support and direction.
Our 2030 Sustainability Roadmap, launched at the end of last year, outlines an ambitious set of targets and actions as to how we will become an even more sustainable business by 2030 under the following headings: Enhancing communities; Leading on responsible business practices; Caring for the environment; Tackling climate change and air pollution.
We believe that our ability to deliver on our commitment to sustainable construction will be a key factor in continuing to work with and support the leading US companies coming to establish in or expand existing presence in Ireland who want to work with the most progressive and innovative partners here.
Sisk has proudly delivered many of the pioneering and cutting-edge Life Science facilities across Ireland, many of whom are part of significant US FDI investment programmes. We have delivered projects for most of the mainstream research organisations in the sector and long-standing relationships have matured based on a culture of first-class safety and delivery performance. We operate all our projects with industry-leading digital applications and are flexible across all the main industry systems and our 4D integration links to our Lean Construction, planning and risk-management modelling.
Sisk has been on the Lean Construction journey since the late 1990s, but undertook a step change in approach in 2016, recognising how Lean principles matched the company’s focus on delivering value for customers and respecting and creating an efficient, safe and rewarding environment for all those who work with them. This desire to innovate has been key to our growth and sustainability as a business which has been at the forefront of the construction sector for formalising the Lean approach in Sisk.
In 2005, Sisk was appointed Construction Managers for the Centocor Biologics Manufacturing Facility, at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour. This project, known as BioCork I, now operates as Janssen Sciences Ireland UC.
Building on the successful delivery of this project Sisk was chosen as the construction manager for the Janssen, Ringaskiddy large scale facility expansion known as BioCork 2. This involved the construction of a new production facility, as well as the expansion of the existing warehouse, canteen, laboratories, offices, wastewater treatment plant, central utilities and carparking. Sisk’s contract on this project ran from pre-construction support through to operational qualification.
Bio Cork2 has won a number of international and Irish awards including; CURT Awards 2020 – Project Excellence Award and Safety Excellence Award, Engineering News Record (ENR) - Global Best Healthcare Project and Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) Awards 2020 – Industrial award.
Sisk ensures that decisions taken regarding the procurement and engagement of any organisations, individuals, goods or services are governed by integrating environmental, legal, social and economic considerations into all stages of the procurement process.
In 2018, Sisk established its first Diversity and Inclusion team with the stated mission of fostering an inclusive environment, to ensure each person can reach their full potential and that everyone is valued for their unique contribution. Our goal is to create an environment where inclusion is part of the fabric of our business.
In 2020, Sisk successfully achieved accreditation for its commitment to employee wellbeing by being awarded The KeepWell Mark from Ibec, Ireland’s largest and most influential business representation organisation. The KeepWell Mark is a national accreditation developed by Ibec that recognises organisations who put the wellbeing of employees at the forefront of company policy.
Sisk was also recognised at the IBEC KeepWell Awards 2020 winners ‘Best in Class – Mental Health’. As part of our commitment to the mental health & wellbeing of our staff and honouring the Sisk values of Care, Integrity and Excellence we launched our pioneering mental health programme ‘I Am Here’ in 2019. Over the last number of years, Sisk has been working hard to move beyond mental health awareness.
Further information please visit www.johnsiskandson.com.
