The investment will enhance the membrane manufacturing capacities, enables the construction of a new filtration manufacturing facility, and creates more than 370 jobs by the end of 2027
Merck’s immersion casting facility in Carrigtwohill, Ireland. (Credit: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)
Merck has unveiled its plans to invest more than €440m to expand its membrane and filtration manufacturing capabilities in Ireland.
The company will expand membrane manufacturing capacity at its existing Carrigtwohill facility and build a new manufacturing facility at Blarney Business Park, both in Cork, Ireland.
Through the expansion and construction of a new manufacturing facility, the company is expected to create more than 370 jobs by the end of 2027.
Merck executive board and CEO chair Belén Garijo said: “This €440m expansion of our Cork site, together with other major investments worldwide, will further enhance the value that Merck can deliver to customers throughout the development and production of their specialized medicines, vaccines and diagnostics.”
Merck life science CEO and executive board member Matthias Heinzel said: “The investment in Cork is the biggest site investment in the history of our Life Science business and will accelerate the delivery of the critical products, technologies and services our customers need to fight the world’s toughest health challenges, including Covid-19.”
To build the new filtration manufacturing facility at the Blarney Business Park, Merck is anticipated to invest around €150m.
Once fully operational, the new facility is expected to enhance the company’s global manufacturing capacity and supply customers with both traditional and novel therapeutics.
Also, it will invest more than €290m for the expansion of the Carrigtwohill facility, which includes adding a facility for the manufacturing of immersion casting of membranes.
The membranes will support novel and gene therapies, along with applications like virus sterilisation.
The company said that the current investment in the Carrigtwohill site follows a €36m investment last year, for a second lateral flow membrane manufacturing line.
The lateral flow membranes produced at the facility are commonly used in rapid diagnostic testing for rare diseases such as dengue fever, malaria and Ebola.
Also, the membranes form an important component in rapid antigen tests, which are being used for the detection of Covid‑19.
Furthermore, Merck has announced the expansion of its Life Science business operations in China, Germany, Switzerland, and France, along with, California, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts sites in the US.