One of Mayo’s biggest employers, Allergan in Westport, is to create 20 new jobs. These will be added to the almost 800 jobs already at the Westport facility when it begins manufacture of Allergan’s newest medical technology, SeriScaffold which represents a $10 million investment at the Westport site.
SeriScaffold is a bioresorbable silk-based surgical scaffold for use in tissue generation in numerous therapeutic areas, including breast reconstruction. Allergan acquired SeriScaffold as part of its strategic purchase of Serica Technologies, based in Medford MA, in 2010.
Westport Dáil Deputy Michael Ring has welcomed the announcement lauding Allergan’s “outstanding success” since it first came to Westport. “They provide huge employment for the town and surrounding hinterland. This is further good news for Allergan and indeed Westport and the surrounding areas. I wish to compliment the management and all the staff in Allergan and I wish them well for the future,” said Dep Ring.
IDA Ireland also welcomed the announcement. Barry O’Leary, IDA CEO, said: “I would like to congratulate the management and staff at Allergan in Westport for winning this excellent investment. It is encouraging that Ireland continues to win investments of this nature, demonstrating that advanced manufacturing activities remain as a fundamental part of Ireland’s foreign direct investment portfolio.
“Building on its long history of continued investment in Ireland this announcement is highly significant to Allergan and will help to further position its Irish operation as a centre of strategic importance within the parent company. On behalf of IDA I look forward to working with Allergan as the company further develops in Ireland.”
Preparation for the transfer of the manufacturing process will commence in 2011. Full commercial production will relocate to Ireland from Boston in late 2013, creating approximately 20 new jobs at the Westport facility. Research and development into silk-based biomaterials and pilot-line manufacturing will continue to operate out of Medford, MA.
Commenting on the announcement, Pat O’Donnell, vice president and managing director of Allergan Pharmaceuticals Ireland, said: “The SeriScaffold is an exciting new technology that has a number of potential uses including the generation of functional connective tissue following many forms of breast surgery including mastectomy and reconstruction. Westport has been chosen as the manufacturing location for this product as we can combine our state-of-the-art engineering capabilities alongside our scientific expertise. We are pleased to be continuing our track record of significant investment into Ireland as we develop and commercialise new products and technologies.”
Allergan is one of the world’s leading companies in medical aesthetics, with market leading breast implants such as the Natrelle Collection and the CUI range currently used for breast enhancement and reconstruction surgery. Integrated into Allergan’s breast aesthetic portfolio, surgical scaffold technology is designed to support and sustain functional tissue generation and anatomically correct implant positioning following breast reconstruction.
