BOTH SANOFI-AVENTIS and Genzyme are large multinational corporations and together they employ nearly 600 people in Ireland.

The Irish operation of biopharma company Genzyme is part of the manufacturing chain for eight drugs and is one of 17 manufacturing locations worldwide.

It employs over 450 staff at a 37-acre site in Co Waterford.

Its investment in Ireland has totalled €400 million to date and the company currently lists 21 job vacancies on its Irish website.

Its most recent investment was the creation of a €130 million manufacturing facility for soft gel capsules, announced in 2008 by then minister for enterprise, trade and employment Micheál Martin.

The company had revenues of $4.5 billion (€3.4 billion) in 2009 and its share price yesterday of $70 values the company at $19 billion.

Sanofi-Aventis is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, with sales of €29 billion in 2009, and 100,000 employees in 100 countries worldwide. It employs 90 people near Tallaght in Dublin in marketing and sales. It operates in the market for treatment of cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, diabetes, central nervous system disorders and cancer. CONOR SULLIVAN