80 jobs lost as B Braun announce manufacturing closure in Collooney

80 jobs are to be lost at the B Braun factory in Collooney, Co Sligo after the owners said they are closing the manufacturing facility.

B. Braun Ireland (B. Braun) is an important partner in Ireland’s healthcare system, the company has been in Ireland for over 40 years operating a number production and healthcare facilities across the country.

In a statement to the Leitrim Observer, the company stated,"Today, we regrettably had to inform employees at our woundcare manufacturing site in Collooney, Co. Sligo, a facility that manufactures woundcare products for international markets, of a proposal to close the site in a phased manner over the next 1.5 years. This proposal affects c.80 employees. The proposed closure is necessary because the volume of production available to the site is too low to make the plant viable any longer. Having exhausted a number of alternative approaches there is no feasible means of increasing production volumes to operate at even a break-even level let alone a level that utilises its full capacity."

"We regret the impact of this decision on our colleagues in Collooney, many of whom have worked with us for a long time. We have a great team on site and our immediate priority is to support all affected colleagues through this difficult period. The site is staffed by highly skilled professionals, dedicated to delivering the highest quality woundcare products for international markets. We understand the impact of this proposal on our employees, their families, and the local region and will do our best to support our colleagues and minimise the impact where we can."

The company will retain in Sligo a specialist Global R&D Unit focused on woundcare. No other B. Braun operations in Ireland are included in this proposal.

Deputy Marian Harkin said “Today is a black day for 80 staff at B Braun in Collooney with the shock announcement that 80 jobs are to go and that the B Braun manufacturing facility will be closed.  It is devasting for the workers and their families and it casts a shadow over the entire community in Collooney." 

She continued: “If there is one ray of light in this shock announcement, it is that there will be no redundancies likely this year giving some window of opportunity to engage with the IDA and all relevant state agencies to try and find alternative employment for those workers.  As B Braun has confirmed that it will retain its R&D development capability within Sligo for the global wound care business, this will hopefully, also provide some further employment possibilities”.

Concluding, Deputy Harkin said: “In this context I will be contacting the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, asking that he and his Department leave no stone unturned in their efforts to retain these jobs at all possible, and if not, to work with the IDA and all local agencies to secure alternative employment.  It will also be vital that every effort is made to support and grow the R&D development capability within B Braun in Collooney”.

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