Sligo’s MedTech Sector Explained

The MedTech industry is a great Irish success story. In fact, it boasts statistics and results that other sectors can only dream about.

According to the Irish MedTech Association, over 38,000 people work in the sector in about 450 companies. Those companies include indigenous Irish companies as well as major multinationals. Exports in the sector are worth €12.6 billion.

Part of the success of the MedTech sector in Ireland is down to the establishment of regional hubs where multiple medical device manufacturers and supporting companies establish operations. Those hubs are located in key regions around the country including Dublin, Cork, and Limerick, but one of the fastest growing and most exciting is Sligo.

The MedTech Sector in Sligo

Sligo is the location of manufacturing operations for several multinational medical device manufacturers including Abbott, AbbVie, B.Braun, and Hospira. This is in addition to local Irish MedTech companies and a wide range of companies and manufacturers providing specialist support services and products to the MedTech sector in Sligo, the country, and further afield.

As a result, thousands of people are employed in the region in the MedTech sector.

In addition, Sligo’s MedTech sector has a long history and well-established roots. For example, Abbott, the US-based multinational medical device manufacturer with revenues in excess of $27 billion, opened its first facility in Sligo in 1974. It continues to invest in its Sligo operations and continues to be an important employer in the region.

Growth Trajectory

In addition to all the above, Sligo’s medical device manufacturing sector is on a clear growth trajectory as companies and MedTech professionals look North West for new opportunities.

A good example of this is a recent investment by AbbVie of over €113m to expand its manufacturing facility in Ballytivnan, Sligo. This expansion alone will create about 100 new MedTech sector jobs in Sligo over three years.

You don’t just have to look at jobs and investment announcements, however, to see the growth of Sligo. There is a vibrancy and energy in the area with business leaders in almost all sectors looking positively on the future as well as being enthusiastic about the potential of the region to attract high-end companies and highly talented individuals.

In terms of the latter, it isn’t just about people moving to Sligo to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the MedTech sector as the region is also very successful at developing indigenous talent. A good example is the new Irish MedTech Association Skillnet master’s course in regulatory affairs (called the Masters in Medical Technology Regulatory Affairs) that is now available. It was developed by Sligo Institute of Technology along with NUI Galway.

With the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape in Europe, the US, and elsewhere, this specific educational example shows how Sligo is delivering on an immediate MedTech industry need.

Cutting Edge Technology

Sligo also has a growing reputation for being the source of cutting-edge technologies and solutions. This largely comes from Irish companies in the area developing products, services, and processes that are helping to move the medical device manufacturing sector into a new era.

The innovations in Sligo are also helping to improve patient care and quality of life in countries around the world.

So, while it is an exciting and buoyant time for MedTech in Ireland generally, Sligo’s role in the sector is becoming increasingly important.

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