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Chanelle Pharma expands operations to Ballinasloe

  • €5 million investment to create 60 jobs over next 5 years

Chanelle Pharma today announced that it is to create 60 jobs in Ballinasloe over the next five years as the company expands its distribution and manufacturing operations in Ireland. Chanelle Pharma employs 570 people at its corporate HQ in Loughrea and also has offices and warehouses in Oranmore, Galway.

Initially, the company will relocate its Chanelle Pet distribution business from Loughrea to IDA Ireland’s Business and Technology Park in Ballinasloe. Chanelle Pet is Ireland’s leading pet food and pet accessories distributor, servicing pet, retail, veterinary and co-op markets in Ireland and the UK. It was recently named Pet Supplier of the Year by Tesco Ireland.

The €5 million investment by Chanelle Pharma in Ballinasloe will also see the company invest in warehousing and new manufacturing operations at the 65,000 sq ft facility. Chanelle Pharma will also convert the existing Chanelle Pet premises in Loughrea to a new 35,000 sq ft manufacturing facility.

Chanelle Pharma, which is privately owned by its founder Michael Burke, is Ireland’s largest manufacturer of generic medicines for human and animal health, achieving sales of over €149 million to 30th April 2021, an 11% increase year-on-year. All growth is organic and the company has continually grown its business each year since 1985.

A leading pharma company with a heritage of innovation for over 35 years, Chanelle Pharma currently exports to 96 countries and supplies 10 of the top 12 human generic multinational companies in the world and 10 of the top 12 animal health multinational companies globally. Chanelle Pharma holds over 1,900 product licences for human health products worldwide and 3,500 product licences for animal health. Key markets include the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, the Middle East and the USA.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, TD said:This is really great news. Chanelle Pharma is investing €5m and creating 60 new jobs over the next 5 years. This is a real boost to the local community and further evidence of the attractiveness of Ballinasloe as a place to invest. Congratulations to Michael Burke and the Chanelle Pharma team and the very best of luck with this exciting development”.

Michael Burke, founder, Chanelle Pharma said; “Chanelle Pharma continues to grow and our Loughrea HQ is now at capacity. Despite the global pandemic we continue to see strong market demand for both our animal and human health products. Our future delivery pipeline is extensive and we are continuing to invest in and improve our manufacturing operations to further increase our delivery performance to our customers. 

“We are delighted to make this investment in Ballinasloe and we look forward to making a positive contribution to the local economy and community”.

Leo Clancy, CEO Enterprise Ireland said: “In the course of a remarkable career, Michael Burke has built a truly world class company in veterinary and human pharmaceuticals. The company’s purpose-built facilities located on its Loughrea campus are a testimony to his vision and determination. Chanelle’s continued growth, driven through sustained investment in Research and Development, has generated hundreds of jobs for people in East Galway and beyond. Enterprise Ireland is delighted to see this further expansion of the company into Ballinasloe, a town that boasts a rich heritage of enterprise, and I wish Michael, his management team and all of the people in Chanelle, every success in this new chapter of their journey.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said: “Through its Property Division, IDA Ireland is constantly engaged with the property sector to market assets available across the country for commercial and industrial development. IDA’s Property team have worked closely with our colleagues in Enterprise Ireland and Chanelle Pharma to secure this investment for the IDA Ireland’s Business & Technology Park in Ballinasloe. Winning jobs and investment in regional locations is central to IDA Ireland’s strategy. I want to wish Chanelle Pharma every success with this expansion”.

Michael Burke said "Chanelle Pharma had no downtime as a result of Covid-19 due to the strict health and safety measures put in place. “We made extensive changes to our operations and all our employees bought into a zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19. It is a testament to everyone in our company that no production days were lost throughout the pandemic. This success is reflected in the strong pipeline for R&D pipeline also in of future orders from customers in Ireland and internationally”.

 

Chanelle Pharma Key Facts

  • Chanelle Pharma is the largest Irish-owned manufacturer of generic pharmaceutical products in Ireland employing over 570 people at present.
  • Headquartered in Loughrea Co. Galway, the company was founded in 1985 by its owner and executive chairman, Michael H. Burke, a trained Veterinary Surgeon and commenced manufacturing with two staff.
  • Chanelle Pharma is a trusted partner to the world’s leading human generic and animal health multinationals and distributors in providing innovative and high quality medicines to market quickly and cost effectively.
  • Chanelle Pharma has over 3,000 animal health licenses registered in the EU – the largest number of registered veterinary licenses of any company in the EU; with 500 licences outside EU.
  • Chanelle Pharma holds over 1,900 product licences for human health products worldwide.
  • In 2020, Chanelle secured FDA approval for its Spot On Manufacturing Facility and entered the US Market.
  • Chanelle Pharma exports to over 96 countries worldwide, with key markets in EU, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, the Middle East and the USA.
  • Chanelle Pharma supplies 10 of the top 12 multinationals in the world with both human and veterinary products.
  • All growth is organic and the company has continually grown its business each year since 1985.
  • Chanelle’s Headquarters in Loughrea is located on a 17.5 acre site and includes three manufacturing plants, four research and development centres, warehousing and office.
  • A fifth research and development laboratory in Amman, Jordan employs 55 people.
     
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