Cook Medical Marks 20 Years Of Success In Limerick

LIMERICK, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In 2016 Cook Medical will celebrate 20 years of operations in the National Technology Park where it has grown from a primary team of less than a dozen people to a staff of over 800, who are designing and delivering life-changing devices every day.

The medical device company provides minimally invasive technologies that are designed to eliminate the need for open surgery for patients worldwide. Cook Medical in Limerick focuses on the needs of clinicians in the areas of gastroenterology, peripheral vascular intervention, and urology.

The original greenfield plot was established as a small-scale manufacturing and technology transfer site. After undergoing two expansions, it has become a hub for global R&D projects and business development at the Innovation Centre and the Europe Shared Service Centre respectively. The site now supports 600 sales representatives and clinical product specialists across Europe; and our distribution teams throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Bill Doherty, executive vice president of EMEA and Cook Ireland’s first employee, said, ‘We are delighted to be marking 20 years of successful business in Limerick. It has been an extraordinary journey. We wouldn’t be here today without the hard work and commitment of all our staff. We plan to continue to invest in our EMEA services, our employees, and product development at our facility in Limerick. We want to ensure the company’s future as a preferred employer in the Shannon region and as a hub for the Cook Medical’s global operations.’

Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group, said ‘We are proud of the work that our team in Limerick has done, to not only help patients around the world, but also make a positive impact in their local community. Thanks to the community of Limerick for their support.’

Staff at Cook Medical in Limerick have a range of events to look forward to, starting with a special celebration at the Strand Hotel in the heart of Limerick this April.

Over the past two decades, Cook Medical has expanded its initial manufacturing and product development remit to create dedicated departments focusing on regulatory, quality, finance, IT, legal, marketing, events, customer service and tenders. There are now employees from 25 countries on our customer service team, supporting hospitals across Europe in 16 languages.

In 2011, Cook Medical won the Irish MedTech Excellence Award and was recognised by the Limerick Chamber as Company of the Year. Today manufacturing at the site accounts for more than 10 per cent of Cook Medical’s product output to global markets.

About Cook Medical

Since 1963 Cook Medical has worked closely with physicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Today we are combining medical devices, biologic materials, and cellular therapies to help the world's healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently. We have always remained family owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: patients, our employees, and our communities. We have 10 strategic business units addressing multiple medical specialties from vascular disease to reproductive health.

Find out more at www.cookmedical.eu, and for the latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Notes to Editor

Cook Ireland Innovation Centre

Opened in November 2013, the €16.5m Innovation Centre is an 809-square-metre state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facility focusing on the development of:

  • Endoscopic devices for biliary, duodenal, colonic, pulmonary, hepatic, and esophageal procedures
  • Drug-eluting technologies for peripheral vascular disease

A team of over 55 engineers and scientists work in the facility, and Cook Medical’s commitment to R&D and a growing product pipeline has increased staff by 100 over the past two years at the site, with further jobs expected to be created as new projects are initiated.

Cook Group

Cook Group is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, having been established by Bill and Gayle Cook over 50 years ago. Cook Group employs over 11,000 people worldwide at a range of companies focusing on medical devices, cellular and biologic tissue products, clinical trial management, and contract manufacturing.

Contacts

Cook Medical
Lisa Towell, Content Specialist, PR and Social Media
00 353 61250785, ext. 2785
+353 876356583 (mobile)
lisa.towell@cookmedical.com

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