Opening of Isotron Ireland’s Electron Beam Sterilisation Facility

Ireland has the leading cluster of Medical Technology industries in Europe and nine of the top ten global companies have significant manufacturing operations here. And the great thing is that the sector, worth €280 bn globally, is growing at a rate of 7% annually.

An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD

An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD officiated at the opening of Isotron Ireland’s Electron Beam Sterilisation Facility in Tullamore, County Offaly today (22nd June 2009).  Isotron have invested an additional €8.5 million in this expansion of the facility.

The Electron Beam Sterilisation Facility provides an alternative to the Ethylene Oxide Gas and Gamma Irradiation processes currently provided by Isotron in Ireland.  This expansion allows Isotron Ireland to offer a ‘technology neutral’ approach for the treatment of its customers’ products.  Both Gamma and Electron Beam irradiation technologies complement each other with the product requirements dictating the appropriate technology. 

The expansion to the Tullamore facility also includes the addition of two more Ethylene Oxide sterilisation chambers making a total of 13 sterilisers on site serving the Irish medical device manufacturing base.

Isotron Ireland is the dominant player in the Irish market, being the only sterilisation provider in the Country.  By volume, the company currently sterilizes c. 60% of all medical device products manufactured in Ireland with the remaining 40% processed by companies in house or at offshore sterilisation facilities.  Isotron has two facilities in Ireland – Tullamore and Westport.

The Tullamore operation was established in 1994 to provide Ethylene Oxide (Eto) contract sterilisation and laboratory services to the medical device, pharmaceutical and bio-pharmaceutical industries.  These services are provided to both multinationals and indigenous companies and operated through 13 ethylene Oxide sterilisation chambers.

Speaking at today’s official opening, Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD said “I am delighted to have been invited to officially open Isotron Ireland's new Electron Beam Sterilisation Facility. This event marks a new chapter in the development of Isotron Ireland. This new facility represents a major investment - €8.5 million - in the Company's future.

Isotron started with 15 employees. Today, it employs 76 people in Tullamore and  11 in Westport; and the Tullamore site is positioned to be one of the world's largest sterilisation centres.  But its significance goes well beyond this.  As our only sterilisation provider, Isotron is of key infrastructural importance in attracting Medical Technology companies to Ireland.

This is a very important industry sector for us. Ireland has the leading cluster of Medical Technology industries in Europe and nine of the top ten global companies have significant manufacturing operations here. And the great thing is that the sector, worth €280 bn globally, is growing at a rate of 7% annually. The Midlands Region and Galway in the West are the key locations for the Medical Device sector. So today's announcement is good news, not just for Tullamore but for the Midlands and for the country as a whole" concluded the Taoiseach.

Mr Mike O’Neill, Executive Director of the Isotron Group says “This is one of the most significant developments for the Isotron Group. It emphasises our continued commitment to the industry in Ireland and ensures our customers are positioned to develop and market high end medical products well into the future. The Irish operations are now viewed as a centre of excellence within the global Isotron Group”.

Commenting also on the expansion, Mr Brian McEvoy, General Manager, Isotron Ireland said that “The provision of electron beam provides our clients with a sterilisation platform for next generation medical products.  This technology will bring a new focus to the R&D activities of Isotron Ireland which will ultimately deliver real benefit to our customers”.

Isotron plc is a leading provider of outsourced sterilisation services to the Medical Device industry. Using the same technologies of Gamma irradiation, Electron beam and Ethylene oxide, the company also provides decontamination services to the Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics and Food industries, in many countries.  Isotron also offers a comprehensive range of microbiological, analytical and consultancy services to its customers, any of whom are multinational corporations.  The Company operates in 19 sites across 9 countries throughout Europe, Asia and South Africa and provides sterilisation services to the world’s top 13 medical devices companies.

Isotron plc was founded in the UK in 1983 and established a presence in SE Asia from 2001 with plants in Thailand and Malaysia an in 2002 it acquired Gammaster, doubling the size of the company.  A new plant in China will open next month.  Isotron itself was acquired in 2007 by UK company Synergy Health plc. For the year ended 30th March 2008 Synergy Health generated sales of Stg£225 m and profit before tax of Stg£24.9 m.  The Group employs 3,700 people.

Synergy Health delivers a range of specialist outsourced services to healthcare providers and other clients concerned with health management.  These services include: hospital decontamination services for reusable medical and surgical equipment; sterilisation services for single use medical devices and other products; healthcare solutions to manage the patient’s environment; linen management services for healthcare facilities and laboratory services including clinical pathology, toxicology and microbiological services, together with occupational health programmes.


Media and investor/analyst queries please contact:

IDA Ireland
John O’Brien, Head of Regions, Planning & EU Affairs         Tel: +353 90 6471500

Isotron (media)
Brian McEvoy, General Manager, Isotron Ireland        Tel: +353 57 9349999

Isotron (investors/analysts)
Ursula Farrell, Sales & Marketing Manager, Isotron Ireland    Tel: +353 57 9349999