Bloomington, Ind. — Cook Medical has today officially opened its new state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) Innovation Centre at its plant in Limerick, Ireland.
The Innovation Centre together, with the expansion of cleanrooms, packaging, storage and other facilities, represents an investment of €10 million by Cook Medical with the support of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland. This commitment to R&D and a growing product pipeline has increased staff by 100 over the past two years and augurs well for additional employment in the future.
Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation attending the opening said, ‘Life sciences is a key sector targeted in our Action Plan for Jobs, and we have put in place a range of changes to support growth in this sector, such as the establishment of a Health Innovation Hub. Today’s announcement that Cook Medical is establishing a state-of-the-art innovation centre in Limerick with an investment of €10 million is a very welcome vote of confidence in the sector. I wish them every success and hope that, with the right supports from Government, we can see further growth in the future.’
Significance of the Innovation Centre
Cook Medical’s Limerick site currently develops peripheral vascular, gastroenterology, and urology devices for global distribution. The Innovation Centre is a dedicated space enabling the company to collaborate closely with physicians in its research and development efforts. Equipped with the latest technology to recreate and simulate clinical conditions, it will enable improved device testing and better product design outcomes.
Dr Jan-Werner Poley, Head of Endoscopy at the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, comments, ‘Having been involved in the development of several Cook Medical endoscopy devices, I feel confident that I have the tools I really need. Cook’s Research and Development team helps me turn my ideas into reality. I am pleased that the brand new Innovation Centre will allow more physicians to cooperate with Cook in this way.’
‘Cook Medical is one of the longest established companies in the medical devices industry,’ says Barry O’Leary, Chief Executive, IDA Ireland. ‘Their products are sold in 135 countries across the world. Cook is a large employer in the Limerick region – they make an huge contribution to the local economy. Cook’s decision to continue to invest in Ireland is a clear endorsement of the country’s pro-business environment and of the quality of the staff available in Limerick. Cook’s investment will ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of research and development in new technologies and products in the medical device sector.’
Irish Medtech Industry
At present, Europe’s regulatory system enables innovative solutions to be brought to market in a timely fashion, which benefits patients. Thanks in part to this innovation-friendly environment, Ireland has developed a medtech cluster now made up of over 250 companies, of which Cook Medical is a major player.
Bill Doherty, EMEA Vice President of Cook Medical explains, ‘I am excited that Cook Medical in Limerick now has its own Innovation Centre dedicated to collaborating with physicians in the R&D process. We are looking forward to welcoming doctors and surgeons from across Europe and further afield as we work towards creating much needed innovative devices for patients throughout the world.’
About Cook Medical Ireland
For the past 50 years Cook Medical has been working closely with physicians to develop technologies and devices that eliminate the need for open surgery. Operating in Ireland for 20 years, we began with eight employees and now employ 800, making Cook Medical Ireland one of the leading medical device employers in the country. Our site now accounts for more than 10 per cent of Cook Medical’s output to global markets. We have always remained family-owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: patients, our employees and our communities. Find out more at www.cookmedical.eu, Twitter and LinkedIn.