Minister Martin TD officially opens €85 million facility for Millipore in Cork on its 20th anniversary in Ireland

Since we opened in Carrigtwohill 20 years ago, we have seen constant investment in new processes and products. This current project, our new IC2 facility, is a concrete sign of confidence in our facility and in the people we have working here.

Nigel Williams, Director of Manufacturing Operations at Millipore 

07/10/2008

Millipore Ireland BV

Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin TD today (Tuesday 7th October 2008) joined Chairman, President and CEO of Millipore, Martin Madaus, at the Millipore Ireland B.V facility at Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, for a double celebration - the official opening of Millipore’s new €85 million IC2 Membrane Casting Area, supported by Government through IDA Ireland, and the facility’s 20th anniversary in Ireland. The new facility will produce 30 million sq. ft. of PES membrane and Durapore product per year, doubling the production of these products at the Carrigtwohill facility.

Millipore is a leading provider of products and services that improve productivity in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and in clinical, analytical and research laboratories.

Millipore Ireland B.V. employs over 580 people and is recognised as a key quality manufacturing and innovation site within Millipore Corporation. Manufacturing lines from Puerto Rico, France and America have been transferred to Cork over the last three years and the Cork plant now manufactures 85% of Millipore’s global membrane output and 100% of its life science device output.

Minister Martin said “Millipore is a superb example of an Irish operation of a global company capitalising on the best that Ireland offers international investors. It employs and nurtures the best people, uses to the maximum potential the national support infrastructure and local services and support companies, and avails of the close co-operation and support offered by IDA Ireland. In doing all these things it has become an extremely successful part of Millipore’s global operations, while at the same time it has made a substantial contribution to employment opportunities and to the economy of Cork and whole surrounding region. I congratulate the management teams and workforces over the past 20 years whose dedication and commitment has resulted in the successes we are celebrating today.”

Martin Madaus, Chairman, President and CEO of Millipore Corporation, said he was proud of the Carrigtwohill facility, “Millipore is celebrating 20 years in Cork. By simultaneously opening this new facility, we are illustrating our strong commitment to continue our work in Ireland. Since 1988, our Cork operation has grown from the ground up into a Millipore Manufacturing Centre of Excellence employing more than 580 people. The proven performance in process manufacturing is something we are very proud of.”

Nigel Williams, Director of Manufacturing Operations at Millipore, said that he was delighted with the continued investment in Carrigtwohill, “We’re delighted with this investment in the Carrigtwohill site. Since we opened in Carrigtwohill 20 years ago, we have seen constant investment in new processes and products. This current project, our new IC2 facility, is a concrete sign of confidence in our facility and in the people we have working here.”

About Millipore
Established in 1988, Millipore Ireland manufactures filtration devices and plastic membrane films which are used in a wide range of critical applications requiring precision filtration and purification. The company’s products sterilise drug solutions, test beverages for purity, filter IV fluids in patient care and are used in hundreds of other applications in such industry sectors as Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology.

For further information please contact:
All enquiries on behalf Millipore Ireland B.V. -
Tom O’Sullivan – 086 302 1286 – tom@osullivanpr.ie
H+A O’Sullivan PR – Emmett House, Barrack Square, Ballincollig, Cork.

Department of Foreign Affairs -
Jerry O’Connor. Tel 087 6630338; 01 7788835

IDA Ireland –
National Media : Ruth Croke, Press & PR Manager - Tel: (01) 6034200 /087 4195051
Regional Media: Brian Conroy, Area Director South Region – Tel (021) 4800210 /087 9517717