Senior Executives from Hollister Incorporated, a US-based global manufacturer of medical devices and equipment visited Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) earlier this month. The company intends to open a new production site in Kaunas; their planned investment is approximately EUR 50 million with around 300 new jobs to be created over the next several years. During the meeting, representatives from the Hollister Incorporated global corporate office and the University Rector’s team discussed plans.
“We have chosen Lithuania, as we felt a very strong initiative from your side. We are grateful for the agency Invest Lithuania who contacted us and supported us in all the steps we have so far undertaken. We are very excited and are expecting the best results”, said William R. Ciehanski, Senior Director, Global Manufacturing of Hollister Incorporated.
KTU Rector Petras Baršauskas was complimenting the company’s decision to choose Kaunas: he emphasized a favorable geographical position of the city and KTU’s close relations with industry partners. The Rector introduced the Lithuanian higher education system optimization plans and assured that this means stronger partnerships between industry, business, and universities.
“We are constantly improving our study quality by raising the entrance requirements, and we are aiming to educate the best students into the employees of the highest competencies”, said Mr. Baršauskas.
KTU Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Asta Pundzienė was enthusiastic to continue the discussion with Hollister International which started in previous meetings.
“We see many fields of collaboration: such as creating technologies for healthy aging, developing innovations in other fields of health care and medicine”, said Mrs. Pundzienė.
Vice-Rector for Studies Jurgita Šiugždinienė was introducing the greatest potential of the University, i.e. the talented students, who, with the help of special mentoring, could be molded into high-level professionals.
“We are collaborating with companies in creating the competence paths for our studies. It is a win-win for all interested parties: we are preparing competitive young specialists, and you are gaining professionals, possessing the necessary competencies. And, of course, we know our students well. Therefore, we can recommend the best of them for you”, – said Mrs. Šiugždinienė.
James W. Humphries, Senior Vice President, Research and Development and Global Operations of Hollister Incorporated said that the project of the new production development site in Kaunas is still in the initial stages: now the company is deciding on the design of the building. The recruitment of staff will follow later.
“We are excited to start working in Lithuania. In the middle of 2019 we are planning to finalize the construction of our building in Kaunas Free Economic Zone, and at the end of this year, we are planning to start looking for leaders of the managing team and begin exploring options for engineer training. I believe, that in the beginning we will send the engineers for training to our other factories in Europe – to Ireland or Denmark”, said Mr. Humphries.
The Invest Lithuania team members, who participated in the meeting, were pleased by the smooth cooperation between the city government, investors and the university. Not often we develop project of such a scope, therefore we are especially happy to see that everything is going so smoothly. As we often say – we do not need investors, we need good investors”, said Elina Chodzkaitė-Barauskienė, the Manufacturing Team leader at Invest Lithuania.
About Hollister Incorporated
Hollister Incorporated is an independent, employee-owned company that develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products and services worldwide. The company develops and manufactures products for ostomy care, continence care, critical care and wound care, and also develops educational support materials for patients and healthcare professionals. Hollister Incorporated has been serving healthcare professionals and consumers for more than 95 years and is committed to making life more rewarding and dignified for people who use its products and services. Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, Hollister has manufacturing and distribution centers on three continents and sells in more than 80 countries around the world.
