BD

BD (Becton Dickinson) is a global medical technology company that is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. BD leads in patient and health care worker safety and the technologies that enable medical research and clinical laboratories. 

 It is one of the largest medical technology companies in the world and hit the 125-year-old milestone in 2022. The US-based company employs over 60,000 associates worldwide. They have 45 sites worldwide including one in Enniscorthy.

Director of Operations at BD in Enniscorthy Gerard Reynolds says, “We currently have 380 associates working in our Enniscorthy site so are one of the largest manufacturing businesses here in Wexford. Most of our associates work in manufacturing operations roles but we also have research and development and regulatory teams on site helping to generate new products for the future.”

 The business originated 30 years ago with 25 associates as a subsidiary of Angiodynamics making coronary catheters. Angiodynamics decided to exit the coronary catheter market in 2000 and the management team at the time bought out the business as a Management Buy Out in order to form Clearstream Technologies 2000. The Clearstream team used their knowledge of coronary catheters to develop products for the peripheral intervention field.  Some of those products still form the cornerstone of the business at BD today. CR Bard then bought Clearstream in 2011 and following on from that in December 2017 CR Bard was Acquired by BD.

When Gerard joined the company in 2012 there were 200-employed operating in one manufacturing building. The primary products at that time were peripheral interventional catheters, which focused on the vasculature of the legs. Gerard says, “Today we have a second building and a range of new products in the vascular intervention and dialysis care fields with nearly 400 people employed. We have a second building, which is currently fully utilised in the manufacture of medical devices that advance the world of health.”

There are four segments in the BD organization. BD Medical Essentials, BD Connected Care, BD BioPharma and BD Interventional. 

The team in Wexford operates within the BD Interventional segment with a focus on peripheral intervention solutions. Gerard says, “We design and manufacture a range of products that treat diseases such as atherosclerosis which is a hardening or blockage of arteries in the legs leading to potential issues of poor blood circulation.”

The site relies heavily on a talented team of associates. The majority of the roles require a technical capability as the products made have precise tolerances and associates understand the importance of maintaining the high-quality standards we set at BD.

According to Gerard, having access to talent is vital to a business such as BD as is South East Technological University (SETU). “We know that SETU will support the development of people and of skills locally, ensuring residents of the South East can realise an ambition to further their education without the need to look to the larger cities. A number of our associates in technical and other roles have graduated from third-level facilities within the SETU family and their capabilities have contributed to the success of the business in Enniscorthy. As we look to the future we will continue to foster relationships with the SETU as an opportunity to employ people living locally.

The biggest asset we have in BD Enniscorthy in Wexford is our workforce. Ultimately success in business can only be achieved through people and we are very fortunate with the capability of the associates we have. Our associates come to work every day knowing that they impact peoples lives both locally and globally every day. Be that the work they do raising funds for local charities, engaging with local schools or supplying our customers across the globe enabling the frontlines of healthcare by developing and building innovative technology solutions to support clinical therapy for patients that improves their quality of life.”

BD has found a strong talent base in the Southeast and globally BD have recognised the exceptional talent in Enniscorthy. “We have the very best of people working in our business at every level. We have fantastic diversity contributing to our capability, we have 53% female representation in our staff and  24 different nationalities working at the facility. We find that people who grew up in the South East often want to return closer to home to capitalise on the quality of life they know they can expect in the local area. We also have some associates who wanted to begin their career in close proximity to home. A key enabler of our success however are the associates who have stepped forward and demonstrated strong skillsets and who have been supported by the business to pursue further education. As a result, we can enable organic career growth within the business, and we put a substantial focus on internal promotions showcasing the wealth of talent, ambition and capability of our associates.

We also have some excellent suppliers in the Wexford area who are very supportive and reactive to business needs. We have 27 Wexford based suppliers that support our Enniscorthy business and 65% of the raw materials purchased to build our products are sourced from businesses in Ireland. The local community matters to our associates. They are conscious of the impact of a large business in a small town and actively contribute to local charities and schools with positive outcomes for everyone. I think the local authority also has a progressive attitude in developing the county at an amenity and business level that will serve us well into the future.”

Looking to the future for BD in Wexford Gerard says “BD is an ambitious business and that ambition creates an opportunity for us here locally. BD has a strategy to compete, innovate and deliver. We are aligned to and support that strategy and this has been essential to our growth to date. With the team, we have on-site we are well positioned to capitalise on BDs ambitious strategy and take on any challenges presented to us as an opportunity to continue to grow and improve as a business. We have demonstrated success over the last 30 years here in Enniscorthy and have a reputation for excellence within the BD community. Building a reputation like that can only serve us well as we look to the future and we would expect that we will continue to be a success story here on the outskirts of Enniscorthy town over the next 30 years.”

Learn more about BD here