As revealed in the Advertiser week, top American medical firm Abiomed has said it hopes to create some 250 jobs in Athlone over the next five years, with the support of the IDA.
Speaking at the official announcement this week, Tanaiste Mary Coughlan said that it was excellent news for Athlone.
“This investment will bring further new high quality employment to the region and is another superb overseas medical technologies company choosing Ireland for its future growth and development. This is the first minimally invasive medical device product of its kind and we are delighted that Ireland was chosen for its production. It is companies of this highly sophisticated nature that we are striving to win.
“We faced strong global competition for the investment and it is a fantastic result for Ireland,” she said.
“The Midland’s record of success with companies in the medical technologies industry, the availablity of a highly educated workforce and the proximity to AIT with its highly educated graduates in engineering and science disciplines are not just major attractions to Abiomed but to many other innovative-driven multinational companies of the same calibre.”
Also at the announcement was Michael Minogue, chairman, CEO, and president of Abiomed.
“We’ve been looking for the right place, and Athlone is it. I can’t think of a better place, we have already employed four people. Athlone can give us support from the IDA and a strong workforce from AIT,” he said.
Abiomed is the market leader in cardiac-assist technology to aid recovery of the human heart. Its devices are lifesaving and life-enhancing, and before the advent of the Impella product line, most devices of this kind required surgery.
According to the IDA the factors which influenced the decision in favour of Athlone included the infrastructural facilities, a high number of Irish medical device component supply companies, and a highly desirable quality of both living and working environments.
