By Business & Finance 
Boston Scientific is celebrating 25 years in Ireland this year, and opening a new facility in Ballybrit, Galway.
Boston Scientific began operating in Ireland in 1994 with just 30 employees. Today the company has a workforce of over 5,700 at three Irish sites in Clonmel, Cork and Galway. In June 2019 the company officially opened its new Ballybrit facility in Galway, an expansion which increases capacity to support global demand and incorporates an industry-leading Equipment Technology Centre. With €60m invested in this phase of development the new facility will house 250 employees by the end of 2019.
Boston Scientific Galway already has a workforce of over 3,700 people covering all aspects of product design & manufacturing exporting more than four million life saving medical devices each year.
Mike Mahoney, Chairman and CEO of Boston Scientific officially opened the new facility and at a special town hall meeting attended by almost 800 employees, he acknowledged the importance of the Galway site to the company by saying “The opening of this new facility reflects our ongoing commitment to Galway and Ireland. Our highly skilled workforce has made a significant contribution to the development of many innovative medical solutions, with our Galway site playing a key role in products in areas such as Interventional Cardiology, Endoscopy and Peripheral Interventions”.
Speaking at the event, IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan said: “I was delighted to join Mike Mahoney, James Lyons and close to 800 of Boston Scientific’s workforce at the special town hall to mark the company’s 25th anniversary. Having a company of the stature of Boston Scientific operating in Galway, with a workforce of over 3,700 employees, is of enormous value to the economy of Galway and the wider West Region. Boston Scientific’s longevity demonstrates a huge commitment to Galway and Ireland and this further investment in a new facility to support existing and new business is testament to the company’s continued focus on innovation and excellence in medical technology.”
The opening of the new facility is part of a programme of celebrations for Boston Scientific’s 25th Anniversary in Galway. James Lyons, Vice President of Operations at Boston Scientific Galway, believes this is a great opportunity to mark the important contribution of its employees and the wider community in Galway as well as its industry partners. “Given the scale of our campus and workforce here, the support of the wider community has been especially important. I would like to acknowledge the contribution in turn that our employees have made to the local community, including raising over €2.6m for local charities and organisations since 1994.”
Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, Boston Scientific employs 32,000 employees worldwide. It is a global leader in the development of medical devices that impact 30 million patients every year.
Business & Finance, FDI Company of the Month
Business & Finance, in association with IDA Ireland, recognises excellence in foreign direct investment companies operating out of Ireland through the ‘FDI of the Month’ award. The FDI of the Month award recognises the company which best demonstrates longstanding commitment to Ireland, investment in facilities and R&D, and job creation, as well as business leadership on a global scale.
