The company has expanded its Dunderrow manufacturing facility, which already employs more than 900 people.
Pharma company Eli Lilly has officially opened the extension to its existing biotechnology manufacturing site in Kinsale, in a move that has the potential to create “a substantial number of new jobs” in Co Cork.
The US-headquartered company began producing active ingredients for medicines at its Kinsale base in 1981, and received the green light in 2017 for a €200m expansion.
“The opening of Lilly’s latest biotech facility at its already considerable campus here in Kinsale is another milestone in its long history of successful operations in Ireland,” said Michael Lohan, IDA Ireland’s head of life sciences.
“This expansion has the potential to create a substantial number of new jobs in addition to the large number already employed on the site.”
Lilly employs around 2,500 people in its Irish operations and the company has a long track record of investing in the Cork area. Its manufacturing campus in Dunderrow near Kinsale employs more than 900 people. The company also has a commercial centre in Little Island and a sales and marketing team dispersed across the country.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, said the Lilly name has “long been synonymous with Cork and Ireland” as the company has had a presence here for four decades. “The expansion of the biotech facility, with the potential to create further jobs on this site is most welcome and reinforces Lilly’s commitment to innovation,” he added.
At the growing Dunderrow site, Lilly has also developed a 16-acre solar farm with Enerpower. The €5m development will help power a significant proportion of the site with sustainable energy.
“With the opening of their new solar farm and extension to their biotech facility, [Eli Lilly] are again demonstrating their ongoing commitment to Cork and to Ireland,” Martin said.
“This solar farm, the largest in Ireland, developed in partnership with Enerpower, sees them lead by example in reducing their electricity use from carbon to more sustainable sources.”
David A Ricks, Lilly’s chair and CEO, said the company is proud of its team in Kinsale “ for their contributions over the past 40 years to produce medicines that make life better for millions of people around the world”.
“Lilly is delighted to partner with Enerpower on this state-of-the-art solar facility and acknowledge the support of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to help bring this project to fruition,” Ricks added.
