West of Ireland firm founded by Mayo man opens new medical manufacturing facility
Galway Biomedical Limited ('Galway Biomedical'), a trusted partner in the development and contract manufacturing of medical devices, has announced the opening of their new facility at Ballybrit Business Park, located in the centre of Galway’s medical device ecosystem.
The chief executive officer of Galway Biomedical is Conan Campbell, a native of Pontoon Drive, Castlebar.
He is a son of Noel and Anne May Campbell and brother of historian and former Castlebar town councillor Noel Campbell.
Speaking at the opening, The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary, who officially carried out the ribbon cutting ceremony, said: “This announcement from Galway Biomedical is a great boost to Galway and Ireland.
"This is particularly good news for the west of Ireland where we are now well established as leaders in the life sciences sector and have a reputation for excellence and innovation.
"However, we will never take this for granted and will continue to work hard to bring the best investment to all parts of the country.
"Galway Biomedical’s plans to invest is fantastic. I am confident the team will find top talent to fill the new jobs planned. Congratulations to the entire team. I wish you all many years of continued success and growth.”
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, highlighted the government’s commitment to technological innovation and employment growth.
“Galway Biomedical is at the forefront of innovation, developing best in class solutions to meet the needs of the global healthcare sector.
"I’d like to congratulate Conan and the team on today’s new state-of-the-art facility opening and the plans to create high quality jobs here in Galway.
"This announcement paves the way for this innovative medtech company to grow and scale. The government, through Enterprise Ireland, looks forward to continued engagement with Galway Biomedical to support the growth of the business into the future.”
Galway Biomedical will develop and manufacture medical device components for use in the vascular, dental, orthopaedic, urology and general surgery clinical fields.
The company intends to build a global reputation as a dependable and responsive partner for the development and commercialisation of cutting edge implantable medical devices.
Stated Conan Campbell: “The opening of new facility marks a significant milestone in achieving our vision.
"We now plan to accelerate our growth momentum by significantly expanding our team, capacity, and capability. We look forward to serving new customers and welcoming new team members to our world-class facility.
“We chose the name Galway Biomedical for this new venture because of the reputation Galway has in the medical device industry.
"It is recognised as a centre of excellence along with other global regions such as the Bay Area in California, Minneapolis and Boston metropolitan areas.
"Our aim is to bolster that reputation by making the name of the city we proudly carry in our name even more synonymous with medical device excellence. We will do this by creating a first class facility with a highly skilled workforce from an exceptional pool of talent in Galway”
The company recently closed an oversubscribed Series A investment round, with backers including the Western Development Commission (WDC), Enterprise Ireland (EI) and private medical device veteran investors.
“We are delighted to have completed our Series A financing round with such reputable medical device investors and the Irish State through The Western Development Commission and Enterprise Ireland and look forward to working together to accelerate the growth and value of Galway Biomedical,” said Mr. Campbell.
“We appreciate the trust put in us and intend to repay it by ensuring that our shareholders receive a significant return on their investment, but also by ensuring that Galway Biomedical strives relentlessly to enhance the reputation of Ireland as a world class centre for medical device excellence in innovation and manufacturing.”
The current year will be a landmark year for the company as it continues its extensive fit out of the Ballybrit facility.
Within the 13,000 square foot facility Galway Biomedical are constructing a 4,000 square foot ISO Class 7/8 cleanroom which will ensure it stands above its global competitors in terms of facility design and capability.
The company also plans to add new technologies to support its manufacturing capabilities, enabling customers to pioneer advancements in medicine.
Commenting on the funding announcement and the plans for Galway Biomedical, Allan Mulrooney, CEO at the Western Development Commission, said: “Galway Biomedical is an excellent Irish company delivering cutting-edge solutions that will enable its customers to pioneer advancements in biomaterial based medical device implants.
"At the Western Development Commission, we are proud to have supported the company’s growth momentum and global ambition since it was established in 2024.
"Strengthening regional enterprise development is a central focus for The Western Development Commission, and we warmly welcome the ambitious expansion plans announced by Galway Biomedical following the close of the Series A funding round which will create high value new jobs in Galway.”
Tom Cusack, Divisional Manager for Industrial and Lifesciences at Enterprise Ireland said: “I congratulate Galway Biomedical on their new state-of-the-art facility here in Galway and commend the ambition of this indigenous company to compete at the highest level, through their design, development and manufacturing capabilities in the US, Asia and Europe.
"Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting companies like Galway Biomedical to increase their level of innovation, improve their competitiveness and expand their global footprint, with the ultimate goal of delivering export growth and jobs in Ireland and we look forward to continuing to work with the company in the future."