Bausch Health has announced it will invest to expand contact lens manufacturing capacity at its Bausch + Lomb sites in Waterford and Rochester, New York. The company is adding multiple production lines at these two sites to support the manufacturing of its daily disposable silicone hydrogel (SiHy daily) contact lenses.
Expanding production capacity
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Bausch + Lomb is one of the world’s most respected eye health brands, due in large part to the high-quality contact lenses manufactured at the Rochester and Waterford sites. By expanding the production capacity at both locations, we will continue to build on their legacies as we invest for the future,” said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO, Bausch Health.
“The increased manufacturing capabilities will enable us to meet our anticipated global customer demand for the Bausch + Lomb daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses, a product that is critical to both our ongoing transformation and to our mission of improving people’s lives globally.”
SiHy daily contact lenses are known as one of the company’s 'significant Seven', which is a suite of seven key products that collectively are expected to generate more than $1 billion of annualised revenue, at peak, in the next five years.
Help drive long-term, future growth of the company
Bausch Health believes these products will help drive the long-term, future growth of the company. Recently launched in Japan, SiHy daily contact lenses are expected to be approved and launched in other areas of the world over the next few years.
Bausch Health has been working closely with the public and private sectors in support of the capacity expansions in both Waterford and Rochester. The investment is supported by the government through IDA Ireland.
It is expected that these site expansions will lead to the creation of more than 200 jobs over the next four years. Bausch Health currently employs about 1,350 people in Waterford and more than 1,000 people in Rochester.
Damain Finn, vice president, manufacturing and supply chain, Bausch + Lomb, said: “Rochester and Waterford have been collaborative partners for many decades, and both locations are now synonymous with innovation in the development and manufacture of contact lenses and eye health products that improve the quality of life for our customers.
"This investment will support the development of an important new line of contact lenses and represents a new chapter in the success story of collaboration and co-operation between the two sites.”
Mark Hennessy, Bausch + Lomb Waterford site lead said: “This investment, which will create 100 new jobs, is a testament to the efforts and commitment of all employees in the Waterford facility.
"It enables us to take advantage of the opportunities that are emerging in the contact lens and eye health sector in the coming years. The corporation has placed enormous confidence in our team with this investment, and it is a reflection of our track record of recent performance and an acknowledgement of our commitment to continue to deliver into the future.
“This investment will further strengthen the Waterford plant’s position in supporting Bausch + Lomb’s efforts to increase its share of the contact lens market, following an earlier investment between 2015 and 2017.
"That programme added 300 employees at the Waterford facility, bringing the current total employment there to 1,350. I am looking forward to the coming years as a time of great opportunity and further growth.”
'Mutually beneficial relationship'
Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD said: “Bausch + Lomb is one of the best-known and most respected health care brands in the world, and I look forward to our mutually beneficial relationship continuing to develop even further in the years ahead.”
Martin Shanahan, CEO IDA Ireland, said: “I welcome the news that Bausch + Lomb is to expand its manufacturing capabilities at its Waterford, site creating an additional 100 jobs.
"This adds to Ireland’s reputation in this sector; we are the second largest exporter of MedTech products in Europe with 33 per cent of the global supply of contact lenses made here.
"Winning investment for regional locations is a key focus for IDA Ireland and the resulting increase in employment this expansion will create is very important for the South East Region and I wish the company continued success.”