by Niall Murray | Jul 6, 2018 | Economy, Engineering and Technical, General Interest, Industry, Irish Market, IT, Jobs in Ireland, Medical Technology, Science, Medical and Pharma
Medical device companies are dispersed throughout Ireland. Their presence means that there is a steady supply of talent in every region, allowing medtech companies to easily set up a facility anywhere they choose, but how is the industry performing in the West of Ireland? Co. Galway Galway is the most important medtech cluster in the country. Galway has a vibrant ecosystem of medical technology start-ups, multinationals and research centres that in total accounts for approximately 31% of all medical device employment in Ireland. Galway has significant expertise in vascular technologies, which are dominated by Boston Scientific and Medtronic. Boston Scientific is the largest medical device employer in Ireland with a staff of more than 4,500 across 3 sites located in Clonmel, Cork and Galway. Its range of products include drug eluting stents, structural heart products, pacemakers and Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICD). Boston Scientific employs around 3,000 people in Galway. Medtronic has roughly 2,000 staff working at its Galway facility, including over 100 employees working in R&D. Creganna employs over 800 people globally and is headquartered in Galway, providing outsourced solutions for medical device companies. It can provide design, manufacturing, clinical and regulatory support specialising in minimally invasive delivery and access devices such as catheters. In April 2016, TE Connectivity Ltd a world leader in connectivity and sensors, acquired Creganna Medical Group. Other notable companies in Galway include Merit Medical, Cambus Medical, Crospon and Zimmer who opened a facility in Oranmore along with their well-established facility in Shannon. The medical device industry in Galway is continually expanding, with SMT, Allergan (formerly known as Zeltiq) and Surmodics all making job announcements of 50-100 people. Co. Mayo Mayo has several large multinational medtech companies with manufacturing operations, including Baxter and Hollister. They produce renal dialysis equipment and ostomy/continence care products respectively. Hollister has invested €80 million in its Ballina plant, which currently employs over 600 people. Education National University of Ireland, Galway and the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology have important links with medical device companies operating in the region, providing research collaboration and skilled graduates ready to specialise in the medical device industry. Support The medical device companies within this cluster are supported by such organisations as Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Local Enterprise Office Galway, GMIT and NUI Galway. To download the full Med Tech Report click HERE. To read other market insights click HERE. Contact one of our expert consultants today about opportunities within the Med Tech sector or to view current opportunities visit our website. Niall Murray Managing Director Collins McNicholas Recruitment & HR Services...Read More
by Niall Murray | Jul 6, 2018 | Economy, Engineering and Technical, General Interest, Industry, Irish Market, IT, Jobs in Ireland, Medical Technology
The outlook for the medical technology industry, both globally and in Ireland, is extremely positive. Here’s why: 50% of medtech companies engage in research & development. Engineering skills are in strong demand; process engineers, automation engineers, lean six sigma engineers, validation engineers, quality engineers, NPD engineers, and polymer engineers are all sought after. The med tech industry has a strong regional presence with an excellent geographic spread. Government support for the industry includes the creation of Springboard courses to retrain professionals with new skills, a national programme to increase STEM course applications, and Science Foundation Ireland funding support for several research & development centres. There is a very strong pool of indigenous senior and executive talent within the industry, both in Ireland and globally of Irish expats. The industry alone employs over 32,000 people and has €12.6 billion worth of exports annually. Ireland host 18 of the 25 largest medtech companies in the world. Salaries and benefits are competitive and have largely remained stable over the last 12 months. There is some upward pressure on niche engineering and science skills that are in demand. The fastest growing subsectors of the industry are in-vitro diagnostics, connected health, and combination devices. The future talent pool looks strong; educational trends show an increase in STEM graduates over the last 10 years as well as greater enrolment in engineering and other STEM courses. Level 8 engineering and technology first preference applications have increased by 26%, while science applications have increased dramatically by 78%. Collins McNicholas expect the sector to continue to grow over the next few years due to increased demand for medical device products globally....Read More
by Niall Murray | Jul 6, 2018 | biopharma, Engineering and Technical, General Interest, Industry, Irish Market, IT, Jobs in Ireland, Medical Technology, Science, Medical and Pharma
A new report shows that Ireland’s medical technology sector employs over 32,000 people, hosts 18 of the 25 largest medtech companies in the world, and has €12.6 billion worth of exports annually, making Ireland the fifth largest exporter in Europe. Ireland develops some of the most sophisticated products in the industry, with particular strengths in high value manufacturing and R&D. Half of all medtech companies in Ireland now have a dedicated R&D function. There will be approximately €27 billion spent on R&D by medtech companies in 2018 and this figure will grow in subsequent years as companies continue to integrate new technologies into their existing products and develop new products. There are over 450 medtech companies in Ireland and 60% of these are indigenous SMEs. The global medtech market was worth an estimated €422 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach €455 billion by 2020, this presents the Irish Medtech sector with an excellent opportunity to grow. Ireland continues to receive major international investments and has generated continuous employment growth in recent years. Collins McNicholas believes the outlook for the medical device industry in Ireland to be very positive and anticipates robust growth in the years ahead as the industry takes advantage of expanding global demand for medical technologies. Critical to Ireland’s position will be its ability to provide a sufficient number of qualified professionals for the industry. Over 2,000 jobs have been created in the medical technology sector since 2014 and another 4,000 jobs are expected to be created by 2020. Through a combination of increased graduate output, a greater number of retraining and apprenticeship programmes, and...Read More
by David Fitzgibbon | Mar 8, 2018 | biopharma, Career, Industry, Irish Market, Jobs in Ireland, Medical Technology, Science, Medical and Pharma
The attractiveness of the Midwest as a region to set up a world class manufacturing operation and source top talent across a range of roles was further endorsed this week with the announcement from Edwards Lifesciences to set up a European manufacturing site in Shannon with the creation of 60 jobs initially and further ramping up to 600 employees by 2020. Director of Collins McNicholas, Michelle Murphy, commented, “This is indeed a truly exciting announcement for the region and for the country overall as it puts Ireland firmly on the world stage in attracting foreign direct investment so when a global leader in patient-focused innovations announces such an investment in the country, and in particular in the Midwestern region, we have a lot to be proud about. This comes just weeks after the announcement by Jaguar Land Rover that they too are investing in the region to create a development centre to be based in Shannon and construction is very much underway at present.” Collins McNicholas’ team in Limerick are delighted to partner with Edwards Lifesciences on this exciting new development and are looking forward to working closely with them as they grow their presence in Ireland. For information on opportunities and vacancies please contact one of our specialist recruitment consultants on 061 512278 or follow the link below. Apply Now March 5, 2018 – Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in patient-focused innovations for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring, today announced that the company, headquartered in Irvine, California, USA, has chosen the Mid-West of Ireland for the location of a new plant to manufacture delivery components for...Read More
by admin | Sep 6, 2017 | Guest Blog, Irish Market, Jobs in Ireland, MidWest Relocation Blog Series
LAST May, I was boarding my transatlantic flight at Shannon Airport. It was a busy morning, three of the metal detectors were open, and two people in front of me as we arrived at security. We each had a metal detector! And woosh I was through security – This sums up the “mid-west experience”. Welcome to Limerick, my adopted home! Not everyone is looking to “move back” to limerick and the surrounding area. Some of us, the “blow-ins”, have moved here purely for better opportunities, socially and financially, and so far, we are thriving! I left Donegal in 1995. I came down here to go to University. I completed my Physics degree and ultimately my Doctorate. I thought that I would move onto other things and other places, but as opportunity lead to opportunity, I’ve chosen to stay and avail of those opportunities. I have seen the city undergo a huge, yet silent, transformation. You would expect me to be working in a multinational, but I don’t. I’m working for one of the many smaller high technology companies that cluster around Limerick. We float under the radar. We don’t make the headlines, but we punch above our weight. Many of “us” work with some of the leading fortune 500 companies. There’s a whole community here of companies, big and small, and we exchange ideas, tips and coffees. We meet each other on flights to the US, Europe and beyond. From this part of the world we can support Asia in the mornings, straight through to California in evenings. And, more important, I don’t dread the eight-minute commute home if...Read More
by Niall Murray | Jul 31, 2017 | Irish Market, Jobs in Ireland, Recruitment, Team, Work Life
Collins McNicholas recently had its annual company day in Limerick city. Every year the entire company gets together to have some fun, meet the newest members of our team and catch up on what is happening in the company. We choose a different location each summer, last year it was Killaloe, and everyone was delighted to find out we would be going to Limerick this year. Limerick has tonnes of interesting things to see and do, great accommodation options and the people are terrific. Our day started bright and early when we took part in the launch of the Mid-West Relocation Survey, along with our partners in the Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Limerick City & County Council and IDA Ireland. The survey was a remarkable success. It highlights the vibrancy of the local communities, not just in Limerick but throughout the Mid-West region. Lots of people are relocating to take advantage of the many job opportunities that have appeared because of the regions rapid growth in the last few years. IDA Ireland sited it as the fastest growing region for FDI in the country. Multinational companies are recognising the many advantages of setting up a facility in Limerick, with its large pool of graduates from the University of Limerick, and the overall cost-competitiveness of the region. Recent investments include Regeneron, Element Six, Northern Trust, and Uber, to name a few. That afternoon, following the success of the survey launch, we had a beautiful lunch at the Strand Hotel, where we also stayed that night, before proceeding to the Milk Market for a series of games organised by Get West....Read More
