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200 jobs to go with closure of Drogheda medical tech firm​

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Around 200 jobs are to be lost after medical technology company BD announced it is to close its plant in Drogheda, Co Louth.

The operation will be wound down over the next two and a half years.

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), which manufactures medical devices, said it continuously reviews its global manufacturing and supply chain network to ensure they are operating as efficiently as possible.

It said the decision was taken as a result of a recent review.

The total job losses are understood to include 70 redundancies that were previously announced last year.

The company has been in Drogheda for 60 years.

According to BD's website, Drogheda is a "prime manufacturer of products that make oncology, interventional radiology and critical care quicker and easier".

In a statement, the company said that the decision was not a reflection on the work of the affected employees.

"As a responsible business, we have to ensure that all of our operations are efficient and that our resources are allocated in the most effective manner possible".

The company said it remains committed to Ireland and that there will be no impact on any of BD's other Irish sites as a result of this decision.

It also said it is committed to working with the IDA to find a new owner for the Drogheda site.

The decision is part of the company's 2025 strategy, which includes efforts to simplify the company through optimising its manufacturing network, right-sizing inventory and production and simplifying business processes.

Announcement made at meeting with staff

Workers at BD, along with trade union shop stewards and officials were called to a meeting at the City North hotel this morning.

Neil McGowan, manufacturing divisional organiser with SIPTU, said they were informed of the full closure of the factory on a phased basis.

The first round of redundancies involving around 110 workers would commence in March 2025, Mr McGowan said, with the remaining redundancies between then and September 2026.

He said that while there had been redundancies and other issues over the years, the announcement came as a massive shock.

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"People are devastated. It's going to be devastating for the workers and their families and the entire northeast region," he said.

Mr McGowan said that BD had been a significant employer in Drogheda for a long time and that the onus was now on all stakeholders, including the company, the Government and the IDA, to do everything to maintain employment on the site.

BD has three other locations in Ireland in Blackrock in Dublin, Enniscorthy in Wexford and in Limerick.

It currently employs around 1,000 people across all four locations.

'Hugely disappointing'

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment said his thoughts are with the workers and their families.

Peter Burke described news of BD's closure as "hugely disappointing", saying the company had provided significant employment in Drogheda.

"We will examine each option to minimise the impact on employees. The full range of State supports will be made available to the employees," he added.

Fergus O'Dowd, Fine Gael TD for Louth and East Meath said the closure is a devastating blow for Drogheda and that no effort must be spared to aid staff in securing new employment.

"I have spoken directly with BD and I will remain in contact to ensure that appropriate redundancies are provided and that the company meet their statutory obligations, as they have promised," he said.

Local Labour TD Ged Nash said the news was devastating for workers and was also a "massive blow for Drogheda".

"Drogheda is Ireland's largest town. It will now lose it’s only large-scale IDA-backed manufacturing company. This Government and its agencies are asleep at the wheel when it comes to investment in Drogheda," he said.

Mr Nash said the question for the Government and the IDA is when they knew about BD's plans and what was done to keep the jobs in Drogheda.

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