Biopharma Engineering Delivers $30 Million Manufacturing Line for GE Healthcare
Cork, 14 October 2022: Biopharma Engineering (a Unispace LifeSciences company) welcomes the official opening today of the new GE Healthcare Manufacturing Line in Co. Cork by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath T.D.
Having led Design & Project Management of the $30 (€30.5) Million project, Biopharma Engineering delivered a world-class manufacturing line for contrast media, which will increase production at the site by over 50% by 2025. Key construction partners included, CSA by Niall Keely & Associates, MMD construction as main contractors, Jones Engineering as MEH Contractor and Filling Line by Dara Pharma.
GE Healthcare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics business develops and manufactures imaging agents used to support over 100 million procedures per year globally, equivalent to three patient procedures every second. The growing global prevalence of chronic disorders has driven significant growth in CT procedures, leading to increased demand for iodinated contrast media, used to enhance visualization of organs, blood vessels and tissues across disease pathways.
Working closely with GE Healthcare, the Biopharma Engineering team, led by John O’Reilly, project managed the new facility expansion over 24 months, to ensure project delivery on time and within budget.
Speaking at the official opening, Global Managing Director, Biopharma Engineering John O’Reilly said, “Congratulations to GE Healthcare on today’s official opening, their continued success and ongoing commitment to innovation and production of iodinated contrast media. With a global shortage of these imaging solutions, delivering this expansion within a tight timeframe was vital for all parties. The design and project management by Biopharma Engineering ensured that this project was executed to the highest specification, while also delivering value at every opportunity.”
GE Healthcare Ireland Site Leader, Eugene Barrett, said, “We were delighted to work with Biopharma Engineering on this exciting and innovative expansion, which will significantly impact our production levels over the coming years. With a global shortage of iodinated contrast media, we are committed to manufacturing at the highest quality and output for global distribution of contrast media.”
GE Healthcare is the $17.7 billion healthcare business of GE (NYSE: GE). As a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator, GE Healthcare enables clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications and services, supported by its Edison intelligence platform. With over 100 years of healthcare industry experience and around 48,000 employees globally, the company operates at the center of an ecosystem working toward precision health, digitizing healthcare, helping drive productivity and improve outcomes for patients, providers, health systems and researchers around the world.