The future looks bright for Hollister Inc in Ballina, Co Mayo – one of the West of Ireland’s top employers – after the Mayo biotech plant secured an €80m investment.
Hollister Incorporated is one of the largest employers in Ballina and has contributed more than €60m to the Irish economy in 2013. Its plant in Ballina is located on about 40 acres.
This investment by Hollister Incorporated, supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, will build upon the company’s existing continence care portfolio of intermittent catheter products and services, including its next-generation hydrophilic catheters.
“The investment by Hollister Incorporated of €80m in their Ballina plant is fantastic news for Mayo and the north-west,” said Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD.
“The investment by Hollister represents a vote of confidence in Ballina and the local workforce. The Government’s mission is to rebuild Ireland’s economy and this can only be achieved by creating a supportive environment for business and jobs.
“New investments by companies like Hollister are critical in getting Ireland working again and the Government will do everything possible to win more investments into Ireland and Mayo.”
New product development
In the past seven years, significant investments have been made in the Ballina plant, both in infrastructure and equipment.
During that period, a number of additional functions have been added to the original manufacturing process, including research and technology development, new product development, corporate project engineering and technical services.
The Ballina operation also co-ordinates the inventory, distribution and sales invoicing for Hollister throughout Europe and the EMEA region.
“The announcement today from Hollister Incorporated is of key importance to Ireland’s medical-technologies sector and contributes substantially to Ireland’s export economy,” the chief executive of IDA Ireland Barry O’Leary said.
“Hollister is part of a strong cluster of life-sciences companies in the West region, which is hugely important to the local economy. I would like to acknowledge the management and staff at the Ballina plant, who over the past 40 years, have achieved global responsibility for many of Hollister’s products. I wish Hollister every success in the future and offer the continued support of IDA Ireland.”