Almac set to open in Dundalk by summer

FIRST COMPANY TO ‘BREXIT PROOF’ ITS BUSINESS BY MOVING TO DUNDALK

THE first UK company to choose Dundalk as a ‘safety net’ ahead of Brexit will open in the summer months, the Argus has learned.

Cragiavon based pharmaceutical firm Almac is expected to be operational by mid 2017, with up to 100 new jobs linked to the move.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor confirmed in the Dail last week that the company in question agreed a lease on an existing building in the IDA Business Park in Dundalk.

She added ‘It is anticipated, once works are completed to the building and the company completes other preparatory requirements, that the facility will be operationally ready by the middle of this year.’

The Northern Ireland firm had told a House of Commons Committee earlier this year that the decision to move to Dundalk was a direct result of Britain’s impending departure from the EU.

Company executive director Colin Hayburn told the NI Affairs Committee that they could not afford to wait and see what the outcome of the Brexit negotiations would be.

‘If the border turns into something of further hindrance to our work, then we would have to consider more operations being done in Dundalk.”

He also described the new Dundalk facility as a ‘safety-net’ for the company, as being in Europe guaranteed the company ongoing access to the single market.

The Dundalk site will be used by Almac Pharma Services and Almac Clinical Services, both of which are registered to operate in the Republic of Ireland.

The expansion in Dundalk has been supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland.

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said ‘Almac’s decision to expand into Dundalk provides the company with certainty of access to the European Union in the long term– this certainty of access is an increasingly important selling point for Ireland as we look to win business for Ireland. IDA Ireland will continue to promote Ireland as an ideal location for companies from a range of sectors including pharmaceuticals, IT and financial services that are looking to ensure that they have a presence in the European single market.’

Almac is a global contract pharmaceutical development manufacturing company which provides a range of products and services to the pharma and biotech sectors.