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Siemens Healthineers has officially opened a new Centre of Excellence for Immunoassay Instrument Research & Development in Swords, Ireland, with the opening carried out by Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment and Energy for Ireland, together with Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland. More than €10 million has been invested to date, with additional investment planned to advance R&D and strengthen sustainability initiatives. The state-of-the-art facility represents a significant long-term investment in the country’s medtech and life sciences sector and is dedicated to breakthrough innovations in laboratory instruments that support the detection of infectious diseases, cancer, and blood disorders. This milestone reflects the completion of a multi-year investment plan initiated in 2023, supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

The centre, located in a newly purchased facility adjacent to existing manufacturing operations, has already created more than 65 highly skilled engineering positions in software engineering, hardware design, bioscience, data science, systems engineering and artificial intelligence. These specialists are collaborating globally with R&D colleagues on next-generation instrument design, leveraging advanced digital manufacturing tools and automation technologies to meet the growing global demand for high-volume, high-precision diagnostic testing.

At the heart of the centre’s work is the continued development of the Atellica family of instruments, advanced immunoassay and chemistry analysers designed to deliver greater flexibility and efficiency in clinical laboratories worldwide. These systems enable faster turnaround times, higher throughput and improved precision for tests that detect a wide range of medical conditions. Teams at Swords are focused on pushing the boundaries of diagnostic performance, exploring new ways to optimise speed, accuracy, resilience and adaptability across the Atellica portfolio.

In addition to its R&D mission, Siemens Healthineers has been awarded a training and development grant from IDA Ireland to support a multi-million euro upskilling programme over the next three to five years. This initiative will enhance workforce capabilities across advanced engineering, operations and leadership, ensuring employees are equipped to drive innovation and build sustainable careers in the medtech and life sciences sector.

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, said: “I am delighted to join Siemens Healthineers in unveiling this state-of-the-art R&D centre. The innovations and products developed here in Ireland will have a truly global reach, reflecting the strong culture of collaboration between industry, research and talent that we are proud to support.’’

 “The completion of this new Centre of Excellence in Swords by Siemens Healthineers marks a significant milestone for Ireland’s medtech sector,” states Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland. “This state-of-the-art facility reinforces our position as a global hub for innovation in diagnostics and life sciences. IDA Ireland is proud to support this strategic investment, which brings high-value employment and cutting-edge research to the region, while strengthening Ireland’s reputation for excellence in advanced manufacturing and R&D.”

“For nearly 60 years, this site has delivered world-class diagnostic instruments to hospitals and laboratories globally,” states Patrick Grimes, global head of hardware engineering R&D for Siemens Healthineers Diagnostics. “Now, by aligning research and development with production under one roof, we are accelerating the pace of discovery and delivery. This centre is a symbol of our commitment to shaping the future of diagnostics where science, technology, and human ingenuity come together to improve lives globally.”