Archive for the ‘R&D’ Category
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Medical Device Manufacturing- Product Development- R&D
A €30 million investment in medical devices, R&D and facilities has been made by three seperate multinationals located at three seperate locations around Ireland. This is a superb vote of confidence in Irish R&D and is yet another example of the commitment shown by multinationals to their Irish operations that will see them into and beyond 2010 .
Merit Medical Systems, Sanmina and Baxter Healthcare will continue their FDI investment program of over €30 Million in further R&D and facilties expansion projects and cover a number of disparate projects.
Merit who manufacture proprietory disposable medical devices for diagnostic and interventional procedures worldwide will be investing €20 million in a new product and upgrading others at their Galway manufacturing facility. This will lead to greater diversity and enhancements in the current production facilities and product lines and add considerable value .
Baxter Healthcare will add a €5.5 Million new CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plant to their Castlebar plant which will account for almost 75% of its energy requirements and reduce their operating costs substantially.
Elsewhere in the country, Sanmina in Fermoy are investing €10 million in their electronic medical devices manufacturing facility. Fermoy is seen as the leading R&D facility within Sanmina and will be enhancing and further developing the current R&D facilities to account and cover for outsourced design, development and manufacturing for OEM (Original Engineering Manufacturing) Clients. Sanmina will now employ just under 500 persons as a result of this investment and indicates the continued level of importance placed on the Fermoy facility within the Sanmina corporate structure.
Happy 2010 to all!
Tags: disposable medical devices, Electronic Medical Devicves, Medical Devices Manufacturing Jobs, R&D
Posted in Medical Device Manufacture, Medical Science, R&D, Research and Development | Comments Off
Friday, December 11th, 2009
A Changed Economy and a Changed World
The cost of high value jobs in Ireland had already run away from reality five years ago as demand for high level and scarce technically qualified professionals outstripped supply. Added to this was the rising cost of living in Ireland largely led by an ever increasing property bubble.
In my own experience as a recruiter in the mid nineties, a very good engineer could expect a salary in the low to middle twenties, on average though they were generally in the late teens to early twenties. Five years later these figures had blow out of all proportion. Granted we had changed currency to the Euro but this did not account for an almost doubling, if not in general; trebling in average wages. Something was wrong in the economy as we lost hold of what had brought jobs and prosperity to Ireland in the first instance.
We lost our competitive edge and the jobs; slowly at first, with companies such as fruit of the loom- closed and moved to low cost manufacturing centers such as Mexico and India. We fooled outselves that these were low tech jobs and that this couldnt happen with the high tech high value jobs that we were now a knowledge based economy.
Within a matter of years Dell closed, 7000 direct jobs and almost 15,000 indirect jobs were lost in one fell swoop. Pfizer trembled and more plants were closed, Motorola closed and soon an epidemic was underway. The demand for higher wages to support an economy awash with credit was killing jobs.
Yesterdays budget is the harshest in memory. It is perhaps only the start of what we need to bring is back from the brink.
Churchill said after the Battle of El Alamein, “now this is not the end,it is not even the begining of the end, but it is perhaps, the end of the begining”.
Posted in Knowledge Economy, R&D | Comments Off
Monday, December 7th, 2009
Irish R&D competing and contributing globally
Ireland is punching above it’s weight as its continues to gather more than its share of foreign direct investment in Research and Development. FDI for R&D for the majority of countries worldwide is down by 30% yet Ireland continues to attract major R&D funding from global investors. As previously stated in this blog, as disparate technologies such as medical devices, ICT, biopharma and pharma converge, commercial opportunities continue to expand and Ireland has positioned itself excellently to take advantage.
Nanotechnology is one field that because of significant recent developments within life sciences technologies is expected to grow in business opportunities worldwide to a figure of just over $3 Trillion from a figure of just under $150 Billion by 2015.
As things stand currently, Ireland is competing strongly against significant international established players such as Israel, Singapore, Germany and the US and yet we continue to gain a considerable portion of international funding available for investment.
Last year alone 80% of all Irish exports were life science or IT related. Of this Multinationals contributed to 73% of R&D spent in the country with €19 Billion of this expenditure spent directly in the Irish economy.
Impressive figues and statistics by any interpretation and a clear indicator that Ireland continues to attract high value projects and opportunities for high skill, high value jobs. Given the current economic climatic conditions we are experiencing this is very good news indeed-long may it continue.
Tags: ICT, Life Science, Medical Devices, Nanotechnology, R&D, Research and Development
Posted in Medical Device Manufacture, Nano Devices, Nanotechnology, R&D | Comments Off
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Green technology applications only limited by our imagination
80,000 Green Jobs for Ireland! Thats the target in a report commissioned by the governments High Level Action Group centering on the global $700 Billion Green economy.
Innovation is the key to developing these jobs in the Green enterprise sector as part of a series of renewal projects aimed at recovering the Irish Economy. The strategy is aimed at attracting investment and creating long term sustainable jobs which will contribute to long term growth.
The Global market for Green services and products is estimated in the regions of $700 Billion and will exceed this by 2010. As it stands, the Irish economy’s share of this is close to $3 Billion with potential for further growth.
The private and public sector currently accounts for almost $30 Billion investment in infrastructure and energy projects which if Ireland acts quickly could mean Ireland seeing significant further market share gains as competition for opportunities and investment in this sector increases across the globe.
Already Ireland is actively involved with and targeting areas such as; World Class Green R&D, Energy Conservation Projects, Renewable Energy, , Green Procurement, Waste Managment, Waste Water Treatment and Green Enterprise Zones.
The future is bright the future is Green.
Tags: Green Jobs, Investment, Irish Economy, R&D, Renewable Energy, Waste management, Waste Water Treatment
Posted in Green Jobs, R&D, Renewable Energy | Comments Off
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
A Greener Nuclear Future?
Ireland Going Nuclear may not be such a remote possibility that such Green luminaries as John O’Gorman might like to think.
Given current energy considerations such as peak oil and the fact that Ireland is at the end of a very long Gas distribution pipeline network that for all intents and purposes Russia controls at will.
As has already been seen in the recent past, Russia often uses this facility (conveniently during winter) to let Europe know who controls the tap, especially when you dont like vocal comments or criticism being made about invading neighbour states.
Given these considerations and that Green house gasses are still rising Natural Gas can no longer be seen as a green or safe supply alternative.
Oil and Coal are much less of a green option given the high carbon content of coal and the rising costs of Oil- which as previously mentioned is at (depending on your viewpoint), or already past peak which inevitably means higher cost which will eventually diminish in supply to the point of being a non viable fuel alternative in a strategic or national energy supply sense
What about wind turbines?
Yes Wind turbines do help but we have too few and they do not as yet supply in either quantity or reliable amounts the energy that Ireland needs. Alternatives are being explored including wave power, but these will take time to come on stream-so to speak.
This brings us back to Nuclear- how moral is the argument for not using Nuclear electricity generated directly in Ireland if you are prepared to accept it being imported from Britain which is now building ten new nuclear power plants-seven of which will be located on the Western Irish Sea Cost of Britain.
We may not like Nuclear Power but in the cold dark winters ahead-it may be seen as the only bright light on the Horizon
Tags: Alternative Energy, electricity generation, Energy, energy projects, Irish Sea, myscience jobs, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Power Britain, Oil and Gas, R&D, Research and Development, Russia, science jobs, Wave Power, Wind Power, Wind Turbine
Posted in R&D, Research and Development, Uncategorized | Comments Off
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
The Shrinking world of Nano Devices
Great Nanotech News! CRANN (The Center for Research on Advanced Nanostructures and Nanodevices) in association with HP are investing in research involving ultra light TV and display screens. SFI science foundation Ireland and HP will fund the €3.9 million program with CRANN located in Trinity College Dublin.
The HP research team is part of a multinational research effort into flexible electronics designed to produce low power usage, low cost, transparent, thin film electrodes which are essential in the manufacture of advanced TV /Computer screens.
The announcement yesterday by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Conor Lenihan adds to three years of previous collaboration in the field of nanoscience and enhances Irelands reputation as a Global center of excellence in Nanotechnology
Posted in Nano Devices, Nanotechnology, R&D | Comments Off
Monday, November 9th, 2009
Medical Device Product R&D
What does it take to be Head of R&D? To be head of R&D in a major medical device company, the ideal candidate for this role generally needs to be capable of leading engineers, scientists and technicians usally being cogniscent of efforts taking place at various sites both at home in Ireland and around the globe. They also need to communicate effectively between the sales and marketing front end of the business as well as the R&D Facilities.
Commercially R&D Managers need to review the market competition and to give the R&D function pragmatic, realistic and practical product projects to bring them to the market. Within the medical device sector this will also involve working closely with doctors and key opinion leaders to identify and progress new technologies, to improve existing product designs and to seek new clinical applications for existing technologies.
R& D Managers direct engineering operations and carry out scientific assessments of new technologies, products, concepts and applications and solutions. They work very closely with QA/Regulatory affairs to define the transfer over of these products to manufacturing operations. R&D Managers also heavily influence the tactical and strategic direction of the companies they work for through the sharing of their technical knowledge and the guidance and influence they have on people, programs and technology
Posted in Life Sciences, Manufacturing Engineering, Medical Device Manufacture, Moulding, Plastics, Polymer Processing, R&D, Research and Development | Comments Off
Friday, November 6th, 2009
The Global Demand for Medical Device R&D continues to Grow
Research and Development Managers are in growing demand in Ireland today. Several major multinational companies are urgently seeking Senior R&D Managers, Directors and Engineers for prestigeous positions in the highly active Irish Medical Device, pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical, Microbiology and Electronics manufacturing industries.
Allied to these positions, there also appears to be an increasing demand for related positions such as Head of R&D, Director of R&D, R&D Engineers, Regulatory Compliance Managers, Product Development Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Validation and Quality professionals which is good news for professionals seeking R&D jobs, Medical Device Manufacturing jobs , Life Science Jobs, Irish R&D recruitment and in the science professionals recruitment market as a whole as this is a clear indicator that Ireland is continuing to perform competitively despite the extremely poor general global economic climate.
Tags: Biopharmaceuticals, Director Research and Development Jobs, Electronics, Irish Life Science Jobs, Irish Medical Device Association, Irish R&D Recruitment, Irish Science Jobs, Jackie Brown Medical, Life Sciences, Medical Devices Research & Development, Microbiology, Mulinational Medical Device Manufacturing Jobs, Orthopaedics, Pharmaceuticals, QA Jobs, QC Jobs, R AND D Engineer, R&D Engineer Jobs, R&D Manager, R&D Manager Jobs, R&D Recruitment, Regulatory compliance Manager jobs, Research and Development Manager, science jobs, Senior R&D Manager Jobs
Posted in Life Sciences, Medical Device Manufacture, R&D, Research and Development | Comments Off
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Research and Development in Biotechnology
R&D continues to witness increasing growth despite the downturn taking place in Ireland as new announcements have continued to be made by multinational companies involved in areas such as Medical Devices, Biopharma and Pharmaceutical manufacturing.
R&D or Research and Development has resulted in greater career prospects at home for Irelands science and technical professionals who continue to gain international respect for their work in fields as diverse as polymer technology, advanced medical products, telecommunications software and hardware.
As a result there has been a major increase in demand for R&D managers, R&D Engineers and Research associates carrying out front line research which has had the spin off effect of an increase in demand for Quality Assurance Managers and Engineers in addition to Regulatory Affairs professionals who form part of the collective support structure required for this ever increasing technical environment.
Recruitment is brisk and demand for science professionals for all these sectors is steadily increasing at a pace that seems to defy the current economic trend. Long may it continue
Tags: biopharma, Irish Jobs, Irish recruitment agencies, manufacturing engineer MNC, Medical Devices, Medical Jobs, myscience jobs, Pharmaceuticals, Plastics professionals, Polymer Engineers, Polymer technology, QA Engineers, R&D, R&D Engineer, R&D Manager, Regulatory Affairs, research, Research and Development, Rsearch and Development, science jobs, Scientists
Posted in Medical Device Manufacture, Pharmaceuticals, R&D | Comments Off
Monday, October 19th, 2009
R&D- the $68 Billion Dollar Question. Today Pfizer begins the arduous process of choosing which of its R&D plants will be closed following completion of its successful buy out of Wyeth. Pfizer has 30 -60 days to complete this review review according to its chief financial officer.
Pfizer completes its takeover of Wyeth
Pfizer’s total Irish investment amounts to over €7 Billion with products as diverse as vaccines, biologics, nutrition and small molecules, and catering for both animal and human healthcare product sectors. The current combined workforce amounts to over 5000 people but this may be somewhat reduced following the conclusion of the review process which will lead to reductions in R&D, Engineering and support staff.
However, Pfizer has a significant pipe line of biopharmaceutical development products incoporating exploratory treatments for Alzheimers, Diabetes, inflamation and neuroscience.
The vast majority of these conditions are unmet medical conditions which have potentially longterm and lucrative treatment markets and as such hold the promise of long term future investment in Irish science jobs.
Posted in Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, R&D | Comments Off
