'˜Jobs at HQ secure' says Almac

Top Craigavon employer Almac says it is committed to the area after announcing a £30m investment in new premises south of the border.

The global giant has been open about securing the Dundalk site, saying contingency plans had to be employed due to Brexit.

Concern had been aired by some of the 3,000 staff in Craigavon who were worried jobs at the Craigavon plant may be lost or transferred to the Irish Republic.

However today Almac sought to assuage those fears with a direct statement to the Craigavon workers.

A spokesperson said: “Almac is committed to continued investment and increasing employee headcount at its global headquarters in Craigavon, where almost 3,000 staff are currently employed, as part of its ongoing global expansion strategy.”

Almac Group this week announced a further expansion of Clinical and Commercial drug supplies at its European Campus in Dundalk.

January last year Almac announced it had secured the Dundalk premises ‘to meet client demand and to address any potential challenges that may arise due to Brexit’.

Almac is to invest at the campus including a new QC laboratory and packaging facility for commercial drug products and a dedicated 79,000ft2 EU Distribution Centre for clinical trial supply.

This £30m investment in what has been described as the firm’s ‘European campus’ will increase Almac’s global footprint significantly.

It is understood the firm is planning further investments and employ more staff at all their locations including Craigavon.

Alan Armstrong, CEO and Chairman of the Almac Group said: “The announcement of further expansion will ensure our current and future clients receive a seamless solution with access to the EU marketplace. Crucially this will ensure an uninterrupted service provision through any uncertainty Brexit may bring, and for the future, keeping Almac as a global leader in the life sciences sector.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said “ Companies continue to choose Ireland as a location which provides certainty of access to the European Union in the long term post Brexit.”