Major US healthcare company Abbot Laboratories is set to significantly expand its operations with the creation of 1,000 new jobs in two Irish counties.Kilkenny and Donegal are in the frame as part of an overall €440 million investment, with a brand new greenfield manufacturing plant set for the former and a general expansion of an existing facility for the latter.The company has a history in Ireland, having operated here for over 75 years.
Subject to planning permission, the Kilkenny facility will span 250,000 square feet and will be located at the IDA Business and Technology Park in Loughboy. It is expected to open its doors in 2024. New recruitment will come in the form of engineering, quality control, medical device manufacturing and additional science-focused departments.Abbot has a particular focus on diabetes care, having developed the Freestyle Libre 3 glucose monitor, which enables people to check their glucose levels in a less invasive manner than the established finger-prick method.