Remarkably upbeat med-tech industry looking to increase staff numbers

11 Dec 2014

The Irish Medical Devices Association (IMDA) has today released a survey that suggests 44pc of companies are looking to expand their workforce.

The entire industry seems a happy bunch, with 94pc of companies confident about their business, and more than a third looking to invest in R&D.

“IMDA’s latest survey shows that confidence within the sector is improving steadily, with nearly half of companies more confident now than they were three months ago and nearly half planning to hire new staff,” said Sinead Keogh, director of IMDA.

“Our commitment to patient care remains strong, with over a third of companies saying they plan to spend more on R&D over the coming months.”

The key findings included 73pc of companies expecting a rise in exports, 77pc looking at a sales increase, and 65pc confident that their customer base will grow.

The findings were released ahead of the group’s CEO forum, held in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.

“This day is about showcasing the strength of the med-tech sector in Ireland. There are now over 300 companies here, who employ over 25,000 people,” said John Shiel, senior development adviser in the life-sciences department of Enterprise Ireland.

“Our indigenous companies continue to grow. As many as 94pc of companies are confident about their business, that’s why today’s theme, ‘Creating value and new opportunities’ is timely.”

Technician in med-tech image via Shutterstock

Gordon Hunt
By Gordon Hunt

Gordon Hunt joined Silicon Republic in October 2014 as a journalist. He spends most of his time avoiding conversations about music, appreciating even the least creative pun and rueing the day he panicked when meeting Paul McGrath. His favourite thing on the internet is the ‘Random Article’ link on Wikipedia.

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