Merck Receives Permission To Build New Facility In Ireland ; Syringe And Vial Filling And Inspection Suites Planned

MSD has been granted planning permission for the construction of its new facility, an expansion to its existing operations in Carlow. The 13,000 square-metre facility will be constructed on a site adjacent to MSD’s existing Carlow plant on the Dublin Road and will focus on the production of vaccines and biologics.

It is scheduled to begin manufacturing operations in 2022 and will employ an additional 170 staff and 100 contractor staff when operational. The build phase will also see approximately 700 tradespeople employed on site.

MSD already employs approximately 500 people at its Carlow site, nearly half of whom are from Carlow town or county, and is involved in the manufacture of multiple vaccines and biologics in the MSD product portfolio. The existing site opened in 2008 and was MSD’s first vaccines facility outside of the USA.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the commencement of the construction phase, Sanat Chattopadhyay, president of MSD’s global manufacturing division, stated: “Due to increased global demand for MSD’s medicines and vaccines, our company is investing significantly in expanding our manufacturing and supply capabilities. The construction of a second manufacturing facility at the site of our existing operation in Carlow is part of this exciting investment. The decision to further invest in Carlow is a real testament to the talent of the current Carlow team and MSD Ireland’s wider employee base.”

According to Marie Martin, executive director of operations, MSD Carlow: “This is a significant milestone for the business and for our presence in Carlow. Over the past ten years, we have grown to be one of the region’s largest employers – the granting of planning permission allows us to grow our footprint even further. We take great pride in the fact that our Carlow employees are increasingly working at the cutting edge of medical science and technology, contributing to the health and well-being of people around the world.”

The new state-of-the-art facility will incorporate a new production building consisting of two production suites – a syringe filling and inspection suite and a vial filling suite – as well as an expansion of a warehouse at the site.