MedTech company Alere announces 40 new jobs

Global medtech company Alere has announced it is tripling its operations at its Galway facility. This will result in over 150 million state-of-the-art rapid diagnostic tests being managed through Galway, a three-fold increase on its current operation at Ballybrit. The expansion will create an additional 40 new jobs at Alere Galway, bringing the company’s employee numbers in Ireland to 150. Recruitment for the positions has already commenced, and the company aims to fill the roles over the coming period.

The Galway centre already oversees the processing and delivery of Alere’s next generation healthcare tests in Europe and the Middle East, and will now add Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa to its portfolio. Alere Galway will also lead on the supply chain management of the company’s rapid, ‘point-of-care’ HIV tests.

Alere is the number one global supplier of innovative diagnostic medical tests that can be undertaken at the ‘point-of-care’ instead of centralised labs, enabling patients to get their test results faster and get treated quicker. Globally, Alere supplies around 1.4 billion tests annually to patients in more than 100 countries. This enhanced role for Alere’s Galway facility comes as the demand for accurate, faster healthcare testing increases globally.

Making the announcement today in Galway, Mark Hengerer, Alere International Ltd. President and General Manager, said: “Alere is the global leader in its field and it’s very exciting that Galway is now central to its operations worldwide.

“Alere’s Irish operations play a significant role in delivering state-of-the-art rapid diagnostics to patients around the world and are a central part of our global operations. With this expansion, Alere Galway now has responsibility for the delivery of more than 150 million tests each year across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, a three-fold increase in the number of tests processed here last year.

“Today’s announcement of our expansion here in Galway is a testament to the talent and commitment of our staff. They have played a key role in driving the company’s growth, particularly in the areas of customer services, logistics and distribution and ultimately in increasing Alere product sales.”

Alere’s operations in Ireland are supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and IDA Ireland. The IDA joined Alere at its office in Galway to make the investment announcement.