West is supported by the Irish Government, through IDA Ireland.
The expansion includes the construction of a new 165,000 sq ft, building in response to increased demand for manufacturing solutions and drug delivery services to support patient-centric treatments for chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The company expects to commence phase one of commercial production in the new building by the end of 2024.
West is hiring for roles including automation, process, validation, quality and maintenance engineers and technicians, as well as production supervisors and operators, toolmakers and operations leads, with recruitment under way.
Tom Clarke, VP Operations, Contract Manufacturing at West highlighted that this expansion reinforces the importance of West’s Irish operations to the company’s global strategy. He commented, “This expansion of our site in Dublin is an example of West’s commitment to co-innovation and co-development with our customers to help them achieve their mission of advancing and delivering critical treatments to patients. Our Dublin facility has been in operation for over 25 years with sustained growth and we are excited to grow our team and expand our capabilities for our valued customers. West is a great place to work, we offer training, educational support and a chance to grow your career, while making a difference to patients around the world.”
Emer Higgins, Minister of State for Enterprise, Trade and Employment said: “I welcome today's announcement by West Pharmaceutical Services (West), that they are expanding their Damastown, Dublin 15 manufacturing facility, with the creation of 330 jobs. The expansion will ensure West can continue to meet increasing demands for their products and support more patient-focused drug delivery solutions. I understand that recruitment is already underway for numerous roles, including engineers, technicians and operators, all providing fantastic job opportunities for local residents, and indeed graduates of the nearby Technological University. I wish all at West the best of luck with this exciting new expansion and future endeavours.”
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said: “The creation of these 330 new jobs by West is a significant boost to our medical device and healthcare ecosystem. This investment highlights the strength of our medical technology sector and reinforces our commitment to fostering innovation and growth in the industry. By partnering with West on their transformation journey, we are building a future-proof business environment that positions Ireland as a leading hub for future investment and cutting-edge advancements in injectable pharmaceutical packaging and delivery systems.”
West’s contract manufacturing business is focused on servicing the needs of healthcare companies by helping to develop and commercialise medical devices, drug delivery systems, and combination products with a single-source solution from product conceptualisation through manufacturing and final packaging. As the healthcare industry is evolving and growing in its need for more patient-focused drug delivery solutions, access to development and commercialisation services to support these products becomes increasingly critical. For West, the need for these services, from development through commercialisation, continues to increase year-over-year. This Contract Manufacturing expansion in Ireland reflects West’s strategy of meeting its customers’ growing needs with both product and service offerings.
Community involvement has a long tradition at West and over the last decade, the Dublin team has donated €490,000 to the Children’s Health Foundation Temple Street and the Waterford team has donated almost €100,000 to charities including Pieta House, BUMBLEance and Waterford Autism Social & Sport Action since 2018. Last year, West launched a new 4-year educational partnership with DCU, providing students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with scholarships and educational opportunities. The partnership with the DCU Access programme features an annual €45,000 scholarship fund by West to run for four years and will transform the lives of at least 180 DCU Access students by helping to provide a package of personal, academic, and financial supports that enables students to thrive and excel in their studies. Through this partnership, West will also participate in the DCU Access to the Workplace Programme, an additional support to improve the employability and career prospects of DCU Access students and neurodivergent students through professional summer internships.
