The demand for the medtech’s products is expected to double in the next decade due to an ageing population and increasing chronic disorders.
GE Healthcare has announced a €132m investment to expand its Carrigtohill, Co Cork contrast media fill and finish manufacturing site, with the aim of enabling 25m more patient doses per year by the end of 2027.
According to the Chicago-headquartered medtech, the new 3,000 sq m facility will support both established and upcoming products, and will include solution preparation vessels, multifunctional powder handling systems, a filling line and autoclaves.
Construction of the facility, which will commence next month, will result in the creation of 250 construction roles.
The additional capacity will cater to the global demand for contrast media, the company said, which are injectable diagnostic imaging agents used to enhance visualisation of organs, blood vessels and tissues during medical imaging used in X-Ray, computed tomography (CT) and interventional procedures.
The demand for iodine-based contrast media is expected to double in the next decade, driven by an ageing population and increasing chronic disorders, GE Healthcare estimates. Last year, the company’s facilities in Carrigtohill, Shanghai and Oslo supplied more than 100m patient doses of contrast media worldwide.
“As an industry leader, we have a responsibility to help meet the growing global demand for contrast media from healthcare providers and their patients,” said Kevin O’Neill, the president and CEO of GE Healthcare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics (PDx) segment.
“This new facility demonstrates our broader commitment not just to address future demand, but also to increase resiliency and security of industry supply for customers.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, said: “GE Healthcare has been manufacturing in Ireland for more than 30 years, and has invested extensively in the Carrigtohill site and the people working here.
“I am delighted to welcome this significant new investment here in Cork, which is testament to the commitment of GE Healthcare in Ireland, and also to our highly skilled workforce.”
GE Healthcare established its Cork facility in 1993 and currently employs nearly 800 people. In 2022, it unveiled a new €30.5m production line at the site, creating 140 jobs.
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