Dublin, 14th June 2019 – BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, celebrated its 50th anniversary of manufacturing in its Dún Laoghaire plant.
The celebration was led by Minister of State for Higher Education and Dún Laoghaire TD, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, and senior leaders from BD and IDA Ireland. Opened in 1969, the site is central to the company’s global pen needle manufacturing operations, with more than 5 billion needles manufactured annually in Dún Laoghaire.
Commenting on the anniversary, Cormac Reynolds, Worldwide Director of Pen Needle Manufacturing at BD, stated: “We are delighted to celebrate our 50th Anniversary here in Dún Laoghaire, and to celebrate the impact our plant has had on a global stage. Our journey to date has seen vast advances in the technology and devices produced here. As we near our landmark of manufacturing a 50 billionth needle on site, we wanted to mark today as a testament to the skill and dedication of our wonderful staff”.
Alex Conroy - EVP, Integrated Supply Chain at BD added: “Today marks a significant landmark for our company and our purpose of ‘advancing the world of health’. The global population of people with diabetes is more than 400 million and rapidly growing, and BD is committed to helping them manage their condition through innovative products and education. Our employees in Dún Laoghaire should be extremely proud of the contributions they make in the management of one of the most high-burden health care conditions”.
Leading the celebration, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor stated: “I want to congratulate BD on this fantastic milestone. As both a representative of the Government and local TD for Dún Laoghaire, I am keenly aware of the impact BD has had for the community, for Ireland, and for the global diabetes community. BD has been a core driver of Ireland’s leadership in medical technology and a true innovator in harvesting emerging technology to the benefit of humanity”.
Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland added “I would like to congratulate BD on reaching this significant milestone and on their long-standing investment in Ireland. The longevity of this company - 50 years in operation now in Dún Laoghaire - points to a substantial contribution to the local and wider economy. We look forward to continuing to partner with BD in the future.”
BD was founded in 1897 and has a growing presence in Ireland since 1964. It has invested significantly in Irish jobs and the Irish economy over the last 50 years since it established its first manufacturing site in Drogheda. BD currently has more than 420 employees in Dún Laoghaire and 1,300 employees in Ireland across Drogheda, Dún Laoghaire and Limerick.
About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 65,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help improve patient outcomes, improve the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to better detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com. For more information on BD Ireland, visit bdcareers.ie