By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: July 2024

Photo of King Johns Castle in Limerick

Limerick’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industries

Currently, there are almost 6,000 people directly employed by Pharmaceutical and Medical Device companies in Limerick. Many more are employed indirectly.

Limerick consistently ranks in the top 3 counties for available Pharmaceutical and Medical Device jobs in Ireland.

Medical Device & Pharma Companies in Limerick – Ultimate Guide

We are continually updating this page and try hard to keep this information as accurate as possible. But if you know of a company we’ve missed or see data that needs correction, please contact us.

BTW, if you are interested in a career in the Pharmaceutical or Medtech industries or are considering upskilling for a better job or a promotion, check out our range of pharmaceutical industry courses.

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Job Announcements in Limerick

  • Edwards Lifesciences announces 250 new jobs for Limerick
  • J&J investment in Limerick to create up to 200 jobs
  • J&J to expand Limerick site plans to create 80 jobs
  • New MeiraGTx biotech facility in Shannon could create up to 300 jobs
  • Medical device firm Vitalograph creating 200 jobs in Clare and Limerick

In January 2022, Lilly announced plans for a €400m investment to create a new biologics manufacturing facility in Limerick. Planning permission was granted in October of that year and it is estimated that the site could employ up to 300 people once fully operational.

At the launch of the site in March 2023, the company announced they were doubling investment to $1 billion. The site is expected to make use of sustainability measures such as solar energy and rainwater harvesting.

Top Pharmaceutical Companies in Limerick

Regeneron

  • Activities: Pharma – Biopharma Manufacturing
  • Employees in Limerick: 1400

Regeneron’s Limerick site is said to be “Ireland’s largest bioprocessing campus”. Launched in 2014, the Industrial Operations and Product Supply (IOPS) facility is a 37,000 square metre production facility.

The company has already invested in the site twice since then – first in 2015 and then again in 2017. This brought total investment in the site to $750m.

Most recently, in August 2020, Regeneron announced further expansion of the site creating 400 additional jobs.

2020 also saw Regeneron ranked number 6 in Ireland’s Best Workplaces.

Find ALL of Limerick’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Factories on this Interactive Map.

Top Medical Device Companies in Limerick

Cook Medical

  • Activities: Medical Devices – Healthcare
  • Employees in Limerick: 980

Cook Medical manufacture minimally invasive technology – aiming to reduce the need for open surgery.

Cook Medical began its Limerick operations in 1996 and has undergone two significant expansions since then.

At this site, the company focuses on the areas of urology, peripheral vascular interventions, and gastroenterology. In addition to manufacturing, the site also hosts R&D and business development teams.

Cook Medical was the winner of the Irish MedTech Company of the Year and Limerick Chamber’s Company of the Year in 2011.

Check out the video below to hear Cook’s Bill Doherty talking about why Limerick is such a great place to do business…

Edwards Lifesciences

In 2018, Edwards Lifesciences announced an investment of €80m to build a new manufacturing site in Limerick.

In April 2019, the company announced they were doubling their investment to €160m, to create a larger plant on the same site. That doubling of investment was expected to eventually lead to 1,200 new jobs once complete.

The site manufactures “delivery components for its transcatheter heart valve therapies”.

Here’s a video from the IDA, taken on the day of the first announcement, that outlines why Limerick was such an attractive opportunity for the company…

Johnson & Johnson – Vision Care

  • Activities: Medical Devices – Contact Lenses
  • Employees in Limerick: 2100

Johnson & Johnson is the 3rd biggest MedTech company in the world (based on 2022 revenue).

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (previously Vistakon) has had a manufacturing site in Limerick since 1996.

The site operates a largely automated 24/7 production process to produce Acuvue brand contact lenses. There are currently 36 production lines within the Limerick site.

The company has announced multiple investments and expansions of the site in recent years – including two separate €100m investments in 2015 and 2019.

In March 2022, Johnson & Johnson Vision announced a €35m investment to expand manufacturing capabilities, leading to 200 new jobs over the following three years.

Then in September, a further €100m investment was announced to expand manufacturing capacity through the introduction of fully automated flexible manufacturing lines. That expansion is expected to lead to another 80 new jobs.

Watch the video below to see inside the Johnson & Johnson Vision Care plant and hear about the types of staff they employ…

Stryker

  • Activities: Medical Devices – Surgical Implants
  • Employees in Limerick: 950

Stryker is the 9th biggest MedTech company in the world (based on 2022 revenue).

The Limerick site is one of five Stryker facilities across Ireland – four manufacturing sites and their R&D innovation centre. The facility at Limerick currently produces Orthopaedic Knees & Bone Cement.

In 2022, Stryker was awarded “Best Sustainable Business” and “Overall Business of the Year” at the Limerick Chamber Regional Business Awards.

Check out the video below for a look inside the Stryker Operations & Engineering Building at Limerick…

Teleflex

  • Activities: Medical Devices – Catheter & Tubing Device Manufacturing
  • Employees in Limerick: 300

Teleflex manufactures single-use medical devices used primarily in critical care and surgery.

The company has had a presence in Limerick since 1983 and this site specialises in extrusion and medical devices.

Find ALL of Limerick’s Pharmaceutical and Med Device Factories on this Interactive Map.

Interested in a Pharma Manufacturing Career?

No previous industry experience or science or engineering background?
Start with our Conversion Course into Pharmaceutical Manufacturing to retrain for an entry-level job.

GMP Manufacturing experience? (e.g. pharmaceutical, med device, nutritional, beverage, food or dairy manufacturing)
Take our AWARD-WINNING Certificate in eBioPharmaChem to move into more senior roles.

Already working in the industry and want to upskill for a better job or a promotion?
View all 13 Online Pharmaceutical Courses

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If you know of a company or group we’ve missed from this page, or think your company should be displayed here, please contact us.

About the Author

Image with Claire Wilison from GetReskilled Team

Claire Wilson

Content Marketing and Career Coaching

Claire runs GetReskilled’s Advanced Career Coaching Programme – our specially devised job hunting course that helps our trainees take that final step into employment by leading them through the job hunting process. She is extremely enthusiastic about helping people reach their final goal of employment in their new career path.

Claire has a BSc (Hons) in Medical Biology from Edinburgh University and spent 7 years working in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.