Big expansion at Zoetis plant in Tullamore to start 'within weeks'

A major construction project, which at its peak is expected to employ 450 workers, is about to get underway at the Zoetis plant in the IDA Ireland Business and Technology Park in Srah, Tullamore.

The multinational animal health company was granted planning permission last month for a €133 million investment that will involve the development of a new 8,500 square metre manufacturing building.

In a statement this afternoon (Thursday), Zoetis said construction work on the new facilities would begin in March.

The company said it had added 17 new "high quality" jobs in Tullamore since the expansion was officially announced last October, and 90 more jobs are expected to be created when the expanded facility goes into full production towards the end of 2023.

Fencing is currently being erected to secure the site boundary, and "general site preparation work" has already started, the company said.

Jacobs Engineering have been appointed as Construction Managers for the development, and "key trade partners" for the project include: PJ Hegarty (Building), Kirby Engineering (Electrical), Jones Engineering (Mechanical), Ardmac (Cleanrooms), Kiernan (Structural Steel), Siac (Cladding) and Mercury (Fire Protection).

Kiernan Steel, of Longford, will commence work on site in mid-April to prepare for the erection of structural steel in early May. SIAC Roofing and Cladding, meanwhile, will begin installation of the Kingspan cladding once the structural steel work is complete.

Zoetis expects that "all building work should be substantially complete by June 2023, with operational commissioning works complete by December 2023."

Activity on site is likely to peak in October and November of this year, and at that stage it's anticipated that around 450 contractors and services personnel will be working on the project.

"In the early stage of the project, over March to May 2022, some rock breaking may be required in areas of the site in order to facilitate drainage works, foundation laying and so on.

"Sophisticated vibration and noise monitoring systems are being set up to monitor site activity in order to minimise and obviate any potential for disturbance," the company said.

It added that "the removal of scrub and hedging within the site under the supervision of an ecologist" was being carried out "in advance of the nesting season" and that bird and bat boxes had been deployed within the site.

"An environmental and site management plan has been put in place to deal with and resolve any issues that may arise, including from the outset, road sweeping, dust, or other, during the construction project," said Zoetis.

"Final landscaping and tree planting will commence in late 2023, during the planting season. This work will ensure that any view of the expanded facility will be minimised to neighbours on the Sragh Road.

"The newly-expanded facility will utilise cutting edge ‘factory of the future’ technology which will place it at the forefront of the world’s most advanced biopharma manufacturing sites," the company stated.

"Traditional biopharmaceutical medicine production utilises bioreactors which are highly advanced stainless steel vessels. However, in the case of Zoetis Tullamore, advanced single use bioreactor technology will be used.

"This will significantly reduce maintenance costs, reduce the use of chemicals in the cleaning processes, and improve productivity through much faster turnaround times between production batches.

"The approach is increasingly favoured over traditional chemical methodologies because it is capable of producing more complex molecules for medicinal applications. It is also more efficient in terms of productivity and leaves a lower environmental impact."

The site leader at the Zoetis facility in Tullamore, Conor O'Dea, said the start of this construction work marked a "very significant milestone" for the company locally.

"Zoetis is a great place to work. The majority of our colleagues in Tullamore have life sciences or engineering degrees, with many holding higher level Masters degrees or Phds. However, we are recruiting across a range of disciplines," he said

"The expansion will bring great new jobs and new career opportunities to the town. This continues and strengthens our presence in Tullamore, and we are pleased to be able to increase the contribution we make to the town’s economic and social fabric," Mr O'Dea concluded.