Mark Hennessy
VP Operations, Bausch & Lomb
Bausch + Lomb was established in Waterford, Ireland in 1980; initially as a satellite operation to support its US manufacturing locations. The decision to invest in Ireland was part of an active strategy by the IDA to secure Foreign Direct Investment to create jobs and boost economic standards throughout the country.
In the intervening 45 years the Waterford facility has become the largest facility in the B+L network and is a strategic site for the company. Initially, the primary focus here was manufacturing, however, in 1998 a further catalyst for growth was the introduction of R&D; which helped to deliver additional investments and responsibilities for the site.
Today, B+L Waterford site has a strong track record of delivering high quality new products and together with highly automated manufacturing operations ensures the site remains competitive in a global environment.
None of this would have been possible without the talent pool of people in Waterford and the South-East of Ireland, a region recognised for having one of the best work-life balances with all amenities on its doorstep.
One of the key relationships has been the collaboration over many years with the South-East Technological University; where in partnership, we have developed graduate and scholarship programmes in addition to industry tailored undergraduate courses to continuously generate local talent for our site in Waterford.
Another aspect to investing in Ireland is the eco-system that exists through bodies such as the IDA, IBEC and the Irish Med-Tech Association. Businesses in Ireland, across all industry segments, have a history of working in a collaborative manner to an extent you do not find in many other countries.
Finally; what underpins all the above, is Ireland’s political stability; pro-business environment and our membership of the EU. Ireland is almost uniquely positioned geographically, as a bridge between Asia and America, while being an English-speaking country at the heart of the European Union.
All of these factors have helped Bausch + Lomb develop and grow over the past 45 years; something that we are committed to continuing here at Waterford.