Lilly: Driving innovation, sustainability, and equality in Limerick and beyond

The impact of Lilly’s 40+ years in manufacturing in Ireland are felt across the world.

The global pharmaceutical leader has long played a pivotal role in revolutionising healthcare through scientific innovation. As a company, they have always been ambitious, breaking boundaries in medicine, in cutting edge facilities. Its two Irish manufacturing plants, the long-established Lilly Kinsale and up-and-coming Lilly Limerick, continue this legacy.

Lilly Limerick was ambitious from the get-go. In January 2023, they officially broke ground and work commenced immediately on bringing the new state-of-the-art biotech manufacturing campus to life. Set to be Lilly’s most technically advanced manufacturing site to date, it will include next-generation manufacturing and data technologies to deliver increased productivity and performance.

In September 2024, Lilly CEO Dave Ricks revealed that the initial [$1bn] investment was to double, paving the way for even greater expansion and the creation of 150 additional jobs before the site has even started producing medicine.

Today, the site is a hub of excitement, and it is clear that business has already begun. Over two hundred full-time employees call Lilly Limerick home, ambitious to play a part in the startup phase of this new location for a major global company.

Katie O'Dwyer joined Lilly in March 2023 as Associate Director Technical Services/Manufacturing Science. She completed her degree at the University of Limerick before going on to do her Masters and PHD in London. Young children brought her home to Ireland during the pandemic.

“When the news broke about Lilly coming to Limerick, it was too tempting not to apply. I drove past it when it was a greenfield and when they got the steel structures in, I watched them putting on the red Lilly sign. Lily is going to shape Limerick for years to come, and there's something really unique about being here from the early days.”

The invitation to innovate was part of the attraction for Sinead Milner, Senior Director, Quality Assurance. Sinead joined Lilly Kinsale as a Process Chemist in 2012, before developing her career in Quality Assurance. She transferred to Lilly Limerick last year.

“It was no question that Lilly was my ideal company from a culture perspective, but from a career development perspective, it always had a great reputation, and still does.

"In May 2023, I had just completed my first start up, playing a QA leadership role in the delivery a continuous manufacturing peptide facility in Lilly Kinsale, and I was considering my next career move. A role at Limerick came up and I had a taste for projects at that point, so my family and I moved to Limerick, best move we ever made.

“One of the reasons I was attracted to Lilly Limerick is I love simplifying processes. I love automation and digitisation. I love that I get the opportunity to really think about the design and the processes of the facility from the very start. It is challenging, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

The challenges of a startup go hand in hand with the excitement. Process Engineer, Paula Espinoza Soto transferred from Lilly’s Branchburg site in New Jersey in 2023.

“We are using the newest and latest technologies here, so we are all learning together. You become a lot more involved because everything is so automated, you have to really understand the process. It’s slightly different to when you can work from a manual. I think this is really cool.

"When I first started, I did find the uncertainty a bit overwhelming. It's completely normal on a greenfield site, as there are always unknowns you haven't yet discovered. Now, a year later, I feel much more confident. My mentors always remind me that growth comes from getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. I’m confident that we’ll find the solutions we need”.

Overall, there is a real sense of camaraderie and excitement for these first employees of Lilly Limerick. A diverse workforce is proving helpful as experience combines with fresh talent.

Sinead commented: “The team that I'm building here is incredibly diverse. I have a huge range of nationalities, I have a mix of experienced hires, and people who are starting a new career in the biopharma industry.

"This range of experiences, culture and diverse perspectives will build the Lilly Limerick we want, one that is digitally enabled, with the best business processes, and with the best culture that we can develop”.

When it comes to communication, Katie explained that opportunities to improve are always welcomed. “We are always asking “is there a better way to do this?”

“Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it can’t be improved,” she added.

Advancing women in the workplace is a major priority for Lilly Limerick — and they have established mentorship and training programmes in place — which have been cited by Sinead, Paula and Katie as invaluable support tools.

By actively driving gender diversity and representation throughout its operations, Lilly is addressing the long-standing industry trend of shift-based operations roles being largely held by men. The company has strong initiatives aimed at increasing the number of women in leadership roles, promoting work-life balance, and showcasing how shift work can offer flexibility that aligns with women’s personal and professional needs. These efforts, combined with a companywide commitment to overall employee growth and development, are a strategic push to ensure that women have equal representation across all levels of the organisation.

Paula highlighted the support she has received in her career. “I joined as a graduate, and I'm a perfectionist. I doubted myself, but I had a team of people and supervisors who believed in me, and my work. It’s so important to have that kind of validation when you're starting out.”

To those thinking about joining Lilly, Sinead had some advice.

“Come with your mind open, apply for the job that interests you, but don't limit yourself, because the opportunities when you get into the company, they widen up. You can have three or four careers at Lilly.”

To find out more, visit Lilly's website.