Pharmaceutical
Global pharmaceutical companies are attracted to Cork primarily because of the experienced and highly skilled workforce, as well as the region’s large number of highly qualified graduates - 9% above the EU average in the areas of science and technology. Another factor is the strong tradition of collaboration on R&D projects between the industry and the city’s third/fourth-level colleges.
Altogether, there are more than 100 pharmaceutical companies located in the Cork Harbour area. Pfizer – which manufactures Viagra at its plant in Ringaskiddy – was among the first to arrive here in 1969, followed by Eli Lilly, Schering-Plough, GlaxoSmithKline, Jannsen Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) and Novartis. Six of the world's ten best selling drugs are now produced in Cork.
This “clustering” of companies from the same sector has been a deliberate policy by the industrial development agency, IDA Ireland, and has been particularly successful in Cork.
For more information on relocating to or investing in Cork, email info@corkmarketingpartnership.ie or telephone +353 (0) 21 4317895.