Kinsale Company Fuelling the Munster Biotech Boom!
In 2003 there were only 3 Biotech facilities in Ireland and today there are over 18 facilities and this is set to increase further. This phenomenal growth in the Biotech sector is visible in the growth of Kinsale based LSC’s technical and scientific project resourcing business which delivers highly qualified professionals to Life Sciences projects.
LSC was founded in Kinsale in 2003 and now employs just under 20 people in their head office in Kinsale Commercial Park where they support over 60+ Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Medical Device client sites across Ireland and Europe.
The success of LSC is a great example of how technology, infrastructure and people can enable small businesses to grow and support clients from small regional centres. LSC compete on a daily basis with companies based in large cities like Dublin, London and Copenhagen and they win business by continuously investing in technology & people, and by offering a service level and business model that is committed to helping their clients successfully deliver their projects.
In the last 10 years the Irish Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology market has changed dramatically. This rapid growth by large multinationals is built on the extensive network of Irish indigenous SMEs who deliver high quality services daily.
‘ As the business has grown rapidly over the past few years a big factor for us was whether we could scale the business as required while maintaining our base in Kinsale. Would we be able to attract the right talent to build our internal teams? Kinsale has proved to be the perfect base for us, with a really impressive local pool of talent which has really helped to shape the company’, Annette Keane Operations Director.
SMEs like LSC are important because of their community ties and have important financial and social implications for towns like Kinsale for example staff events, schools and local sports clubs/teams.
As published in the Kinsale Newsletter August 2017.
The Biotech industry in Ireland
Biotech drugs (vaccines, biologics) continue to gain traction in the Life Sciences sector in Ireland. Annual sales of Biopharmaceuticals are now estimated at over $280 billion globally, and an increasing number and percentage of Pharmaceuticals entering the market are Biopharmaceuticals. Ireland has successfully grown it’s presence in this market niche and is now recognized as one of the top global Biotech manufacturing hubs.
Munster has always been a key location for Biotech companies since the first Irish Biotech investment by Schering Plough Brinny (now MSD) in 1983. This trailblazing investment was followed by other major Pharma companies making significant strategic investments in Biotech in Cork such as Eli Lilly, Janssen and Pfizer (this facility is now owned by BioMarin).
These investments haven’t been a one off either with continuous investment on the sites to support additional capacity, capabilities and technologies such as MSD Brinny’s April 2017 application to build a €100 million Biotech expansion and Eli Lilly’s 2017 announcement which signalled a new Biotech build program to significantly increase capacity at their Kinsale campus. As the Irish Biotech industry continues to grow and prosper companies like LSC are needed to help fuel their success.
Biotech growth throughout Munster
The growth of the Biotech sector in Munster hasn’t been limited to Cork and has spread to other counties for example Regeneron Limerick, Amneal Tipperary and Sanofi Waterford.
All of this commercial Biotech activity is made possible because of the support infrastructure in place in Munster including:
- Global leading edge technical expertise in Manufacturing IT i.e. MES & Automation engineering
- Skills training from BPCI-Skillsnet, the Biopharma training Centre in Carrigaline (celebrating 10 very successful years) and NIBRT in Dublin.
- Third level institutes delivering high calibre highly skilled graduates.
- A significant number of niche market Irish indigenous SMEs who have a history of supporting this industry, like LSC
The result of this investment is that the Irish Biopharma sector is now forecasting over 8,000 job vacancies out to 2020, with double that being required for support industries. LSC are forecasting that resource requirements for Biotech projects in 2017 will be double the 2013 requirements with 50% of their new business in 2017 coming from biotech projects.
In summary we are living through exciting times, with innovative life-saving medicines being produced right here on our doorstep.
If you want to be part of this exciting and challenging industry get in contact with LSC today.
They are always looking to speak to professionals about opportunities based in their Kinsale office and/or at client sites.
A career with LSC is a lifetime of opportunities.