Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, today announced that Optel Vision, a leading Canadian company specializing in Track & Trace and vision inspection solutions for the manufacturing industries, is to create 140 new jobs in Limerick as part of a new European expansion.
The expansion will involve Optel Vision establishing an EMEA Manufacturing and Operations Centre in Limerick, at the former ON Semiconductor facility at Raheen Business Park. This expansion represents Optel Vision’s first operation and engineering services outside of North America as it moves to build up its presence in the European market.
The expansion is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation through IDA Ireland.
The roles will be created over five years in engineering, design, assembly, testing, customer support, sales, HR, finance and administration activities. Initially the company requires Project Engineers and technicians with a Mechatronics background to deliver its Track and Trace Solutions. The European expansion is to support Optel Vision’s customers locally while harnessing significant growth potential across EMEA. The recruitment for the roles is to begin immediately.
Established in Quebec in 1989, Optel Vision develops and installs packaging line vision inspection and control systems for the pharmaceutical, medical devices and chemical industries. These sophisticated automated vision systems significantly reduce the health risks associated with mislabelled products, dosage errors and product mix-ups, while protecting genuine manufacturers against illegal counterfeiting.
Optel Vision’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Louis Roy said: “Design and Integration of our solutions required a lot of highly skilled persons. Ireland is offering us this unique opportunity in finding motivated and trained ressources ready to support our European customers. With the urgency to ensure public safety against counterfeited products, our Ireland operation will position us to be the leading supplier in Europe delivering best quality solutions.”
Speaking today the Minister for Jobs, Mr Richard Bruton said: “Manufacturing is a key part of our Action Plan for Jobs, and since taking office we have put in place a series of measures aimed at supporting jobs growth in this area. This is an area that offers huge potential for employment right across the country, and it is massively encouraging to see jobs growth return to manufacturing in recent years. Today’s announcement by Optel that it is establishing an EMEA manufacturing and operations centre in Limerick with the creation of 140 jobs is a huge boost for the city and for the manufacturing sector nationally. I look forward to working with Optel as they continue to grow their operations in Ireland in the future”.
The Minister for Finance Michael Noonan TD said: “The creation of jobs is a key priority for this Government. I welcome the announcement today by Optel Vision to create 140 new jobs in Limerick. Today’s announcement is further proof that the Governments strategy in relation to job creation is working. “
Welcoming the announcement, Minister Jan O’Sullivan, TD, said, “Optel Vision is a market leader in quality control manufacturing processes. The announcement of 140 new jobs in Limerick as part of its European expansion is welcome news. It cements Limerick’s reputation as a critical hub for innovative companies seeking high quality employees. Investment in education and training is a key aspect of the Government’s job creation strategy and I will be playing a full part in advancing that vital agenda in the Department of Education and Skills.”
The Chief Executive Officer of IDA Ireland, Mr Martin Shanahan said: “Optel Vision is a technology leader in the fast growing pharmaceutical Track and Trace market and an excellent fit for the automation and life sciences sector in Ireland. The Mid-West and Limerick in particular is the ideal location to host such an innovative company, and Optel Vision joins a long list of innovative companies doing business in the region’’.