EDWARDS Lifesciences expect to begin filling some of the 600 jobs it is creating next month, while they have appointed a plant general manager to oversee the investment of €80 million.
The California-based company recently announced it is opening the plant in the Mid-West, although it has not as yet said exactly where it will be. It has an interim facility in Shannon.
Nathan Tenzer has been named as plant general manager for the new operations. He will have responsibility for leading its management and engineering function and delivering on the company’s strategic objective of expanding its global supply network of delivery components for transcatheter heart valve therapies, where open heart surgery would previously have been the norm.
He has worked for Edwards for more than 15 years, while for the past two, he has held the position of senior director of engineering in an Edwards manufacturing facility near Salt Lake City.
“I am excited by the opportunity to establish our new plant in Ireland, a country widely recognised for its expertise in medical technology manufacturing. My first priority, as we engage with the local community, will be to recruit a highly-motivated team from the strong pool of talent available in the Mid-West of Ireland.”
Joe Nuzzlese, corporate vice president of global supply chain, Edwards Lifesciences, said, “I am delighted that Nathan will lead our new operation in Ireland and bring his vast experience to bear, as he oversees the set-up of our new facility.
“Our investment in Ireland boosts our global supply chain, allowing us to meet growing demand for our heart valves, as we deliver these life-enhancing and life-saving technologies to patients around the world.”
By Owen Ryan
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.