Manufacturing

Novartis Ringaskiddy

Novartis Ringaskiddy is home to both the manufacturing site, Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited (NRL) and Novartis International Pharmaceutical Ltd, Branch Ireland (NIPBI) which is comprised of the International Services Laboratory, the External Supply Organisation, Supply Chain and administrative functions.

Employing approximately 600 people across the Ringaskiddy campus both NRL and NIPBI are important members of the Novartis global network.
Operational since 1994, NRL is a manufacturer of intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The €850m facility includes manufacturing operations, quality control laboratories, warehouse, technical, IT and engineering services.

The facility specialises in high quality small to medium scale synthesis with particular expertise in peptide synthesis and very large scale high pressure liquid chromatography.

Alcon

Cork is home to Alcon’s European manufacturing center for AcrySof® intraocular lenses.

Established in 1991 and acquired by Alcon in 2000. In 2006, the Cork plant began manufacturing Alcon’s AcrySof® intraocular lenses (IOLs), which replace the eye’s natural lens in cataract surgery. 
Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgery in the world today with surgeons around the world performing more than 10 million cataract surgeries annually. Alcon’s AcrySof® IOLs are the most frequently implanted lenses worldwide, with more than 30 million implants since their introduction in the mid-1990s.

The facility manufactures the Single Piece AcrySof® Natural & Clear, AcrySof® IQ and AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL product families. Some of the more notable technologies and processes featured at the Cork facility are high precision mold-tool manufacturing, monomer formulation, casting, curing/polymerization, high precision optical measurement and packaging (sterilisation is completed offsite). 

Approximately 400 associates work at the Alcon Cork facility. In 2012 Novartis fully acquired Alcon, making it the world’s number one eye care company. Now the second largest division of Novartis, Alcon’s mission is to provide innovative products that enhance quality of life by helping people see better. We accomplish our mission by giving eye care professionals the products and tools they need to deliver the best treatment outcomes to their patients.