Page 47 - Our Wexford
P. 47

Liam took up the position of Senior                         “The reason for choosing Ireland
              Director of Wexford Operations                              at the time was based on the
              in 2016 having moved through                                positive experience some of
              the ranks of Waters since he joined                         the senior Waters Corporation
              the company in 2004. “The fact                              executives had of working with
              Waters is based in Wexford was                              previous Irish operations. They
              hugely attractive to me; in 2004 I                          knew that there was excellent
              was working in Kerry for a Japanese                         well-educated talent in Ireland
              pharmaceutical company and,                                 and that the people had a strong
              originally hailing from Wexford                             entrepreneurial spirit. These
              and having become a new father                              advantages still apply today; with
              at the time, it was a location I very                       the plant having grown not only
              much desired to live in and raise my                        organically but also through a
              family. Wexford offers an unrivalled   Institute of Technology Carlow   number of technology transfers.
              quality of life and it also affords an   with their Wexford Campus and   This growth and progression
              excellent standard of living.                               can largely be attributed to the
                                            also Waterford IT through our
              “One of the attractions of Waters is   Education Assistance Program   capabilities of the site and the team
                                                                          based here. More recently we have
              that we continue to provide growth   and we feel that a university for   also expanded our operations to
              opportunities for employees; my   the southeast will provide more   include research and development
              own career progression through   talent in the STEM (Science,   of reagent kits in support of our
              the company is a testament    Technology, Engineering and   customers requirements.”
              to this commitment. I joined   Maths) areas and create a cluster
              Waters as Quality Manager; I was   effect.”                 “We get an excellent return on
              subsequently promoted to Director   The improvements in     what I call discretionary effort
              of Quality Assurance and then   infrastructure have made    within the plant, our staff have
              moved to a Senior Director of   Wexford more accessible to   a really positive can do attitude.
              Quality Assurance role with global   Waters executives and customers   That culture is a little bit
              responsibility for Ireland, the US,   globally. Liam says, “We’ve seen   infectious here.”
              and the UK. In 2016 the Senior   a large increase in the number   Over the years Liam says that
              Director of Wexford Operations   of customers who now come to   Wexford County Council and the
              role came up. It is an excellent   visit us in Ireland and this growth   local agencies have also continued
              fit for me and it is a role I am   not only helps to promote Waters   to facilitate the growth of the
              relishing at the moment.”
                                            business but also Ireland as a   company. “We have gone through
              According to Liam, Waters’    whole. Our global customers arrive   three plant extensions here in
              sustained commitment to       and are very pleasantly surprised   Wexford and Wexford County
              investment in manufacturing   by the calibre of our people, our   Council have always been very
              and job creation in Wexford is   lean processes and also the modern   pro-business and have facilitated
              hugely significant. The Wexford   facilities that we have to offer.”  our discussions around planning
              operation is a strategically   The company progression in   efficiently. We also work closely
              important component of        Ireland has been phenomenal;   with Wexford Chamber, the
              Waters Corporation’s global   Liam says that the credit for the   American Chamber of Commerce,
              manufacturing footprint.                                    the IDA, and IBEC through open
                                            company deciding to locate in
              “At Waters, we strive to create a   Wexford some 20 years ago can   days at the plant and site visits for   ABOVE:
                                                                          further potential FDI research
              workplace culture that rewards   largely be accredited to the IDA.   trips.               Liam Hore Senior
              high performance and encourages   “When Waters was looking to set                         Director of Wexford
              and facilitates inclusion,    up an Irish operation, the IDA had   Waters has helped to advance   Operations
              participation, and respect.”  readily available infrastructure and   science in a wide range of fields,
                                            this made it an easy decision for   including life sciences, industrial
              Liam says that the Wexford plant   Waters Corporation.      chemicals, environmental
              enjoys excellent staff retention                            management, food safety, and
              levels, “We have team members   “As we know, when multinationals   water quality. As it celebrates more
              who started with us a junior level   decide to open new operations in a   than a half-century of growth and
              and have progressed through   country, they usually want to do so   achievement, the company remains
              the company to management     within months rather than years.   dedicated to supporting the next
              level. Waters offer employees   While it is great to have green-field   generation of groundbreaking
              an opportunity to work in a   sites it was more important for   analytical technology.
              multinational within the science   Waters to have a facility available –
              and engineering sector.       that was certainly a deciding factor
                                            for the decision for Waters to open
              “We work very closely with
                                            the Wexford plant.

                                                                                       DOING BUSINESS           47
   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52