Cardinal Health, a giant US healthcare conglomerate, has cancelled plans it unveiled four years ago to create 1,300 jobs in Longford engaged in the production of healthcare and IT products.
The company, which began life as a drugs wholesaler and now specialises in online healthcare catalogues, medical education solutions and dispensing and logistics technologies, attributed the decision to a change in strategy.
In 2000 the company said that it planned to create 2,000 jobs in Longford as part of a strategy that involved building its own facility where it intended to create healthcare products as well as information technology products for the healthcare sector.
However, as no planning permission had been sought by 2002 for the project, questions were asked and in October 2002 the company stated that it was to defer the project that this time would employ 1,300 people for another two years. At the same time Cardinal Health pledged commitment to its long-term plans for Longford.
However, today it emerged that the company’s long-term strategy has shifted from building its own facilities to one of embarking on a series of global acquisitions instead.
The news emerged after Cardinal Health informed the IDA that it would not be proceeding with the project following a review of its business activities and needs.
By John Kennedy
