Alan O’Leary
SIPTU National Sector Organiser
Pharmaceutical Chemical and Medical Devices
A Brief Introduction to the
Pharmaceutical & Chemical
Sector in Ireland
SIPTU
Irelands largest Trade Union
• SIPTU general trade union- 200,000 members
in Public & Private Sector
• Pharmaceutical Chemical & Medical Devices
Sector 13,000 members
• Manufacturing Division 45,000 members
Pharmaceutical Chemical
Sector Profile
• 25,000 workers employed in Industry
• 9 of top 10 global MNC’s located in Ireland
• Highly qualified workers almost half hold
third level qualifications
• Ireland is the Largest Net Exporter of
Pharmaceutical Medicines in the World (WTO)
Pharmaceutical chemical
Sector Profile
• Combined with Medical Devices- Sector
contributes over 55% of Total Exports
• 5 of the worlds 12 top selling medicines
are made in Ireland & accounted for $27
billion in 2010 sales
• 2011 Pharmaceutical & Chemical sector
exported products worth 56bln euro
Pharmaceutical Healthcare Facts and Figures 2012
Leading Companies by Sales Globally 2010
Source:
IMS Health Midas, (December 2010)
Pharmalive, (August 2011)
Pfizer Ireland facts
Pfizer footprint in Ireland
Key facts:
 Approximately 3,200 Pfizer employees
 Pfizer is one of Ireland’s leading employers
and one of the largest pharmaceutical sector
investor in the country
Pfizer’s presence in Ireland
Dublin
Citywest
Dublin Treasury Center &
 The Irish sites manufacture some of Pfizer’s
best selling medicines e.g. Lipitor (cholesterol
reducing), Viagra (urology), Sutent (oncology),
in addition to a range of other products,
including APIs1), and Injectibles
GFS Shared Services E
Grange Castle
Kildare
Newbridge
Cork
Little Island
OSG
Ringaskiddy
Office
Manufacturing
1) API: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
 Global Financial Solutions Shared Services
Europe and Treasury Centre operations are
based in Dublin
 Pfizer Ireland’s commercial headquarters in
City West, Dublin.
Ireland Pharmaceutical &
Chemical Sector -Challenges
• Industry Growth is significantly dependant on
trading partners & EU economic activity
• Patent Cliff currently major challenge
effecting MNC’s in Ireland
Pfizer- Lipitor, Viagra (2015)
Novartis- Glevic, Diovan
Merck Sharp Dohme- Singulair
Ireland Pharmaceutical &
Chemical Sector- Strengths
 Highly Qualified staff
 Launch sites for new products
 Evidence of re-investment- GSK, Becton
Dickinson.
 Stable Industrial Relations- (Pfizer 45 yrs.)
Irish Pharmaceutical &
Chemical Sector- Conclusions
 Industry is Strategically a very important sector to
Ireland’s economy –Jobs & Exports.
 Ireland remains a location of choice for top global
Pharmaceutical & Chemical MNC’s.
 Challenges remain- Patent Cliff & EU economic activity.
 Stable Industrial Relations based on a high level of
mutual respect and Trust
Thank You
Alan O’Leary