Irish led multinational strengthens offering in the life science industry with unique quality assurance, lean transformation, talent and training solutions.
Galway, 29th September 2025: Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) has today announced plans to create up to 140 new impact driven roles at their Galway City facility over the next three years, marking one of the most significant expansions in its 30-year history.
The announcement follows a €9m upskilling programme, supported by IDA Ireland, which has accelerated CLS’s transformation from a successful medium-sized enterprise into a fully Irish-led multinational, equipping its workforce to deliver an expanded portfolio of end-to-end solutions.
The creation of 140 new roles at the Galway City facility over the next three years is underpinned by sustained business growth, an expanded portfolio of solutions, and strategic transformation from a medium-sized enterprise into a multinational organisation. This will bring the total CLS workforce to 400.
“This marks one of the most exciting phases in CLS’s journey, as we scale from a national success story to a global player,” said Evelyn O’Toole, Founder and CEO of CLS. “Our €9 million investment in people and capability is enabling us to deliver end-to-end solutions in quality assurance, lean transformation, and quality control laboratory services; supporting clients at every stage of their lifecycle. This strategic expansion reflects both the evolving needs of industry and our ambition for sustainable growth. With new capabilities, accelerators, and a highly skilled workforce in place, CLS is well-positioned to drive innovation and resilience across dynamic, fast-moving sectors.”
Building on three decades of growth, CLS has now extend its solutions beyond laboratory testing to include quality assurance, lean transformations, specialised training, and managed talent resourcing, offering clients a 360° quality management partner. CLS is now positioned to deliver operational excellence across every stage of its clients’ processes, both onsite and at CLS’ own facilities.
Recruitment for the new positions across all experience levels including new graduates spanning science, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, engineering and business analytics will begin immediately, strengthening CLS’s capacity to serve the dynamic pharmaceutical, medtech, food, and environmental sectors.
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “The strategic expansion of CLS in Galway, creating 140 new jobs, highlights Ireland’s commitment to fostering innovation and growth. Our supportive business environment and highly skilled talent pool continue to attract significant investments.”
Minister of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD said “Complete Laboratory Solution’s very welcome announcement is a powerful endorsement of Ireland’s life sciences sector and the talent that drives it. The creation of 140 new high-value roles in Galway reflects not only CLS’s remarkable growth journey but also the strength of our innovation ecosystem. This strategic expansion, supported by IDA Ireland, demonstrates how Irish-led enterprises can scale while continuing to invest locally. I thank CLS for their continued investment in Ireland and their commitment to excellence, sustainability, and workforce development. I wish the CLS team the very best for the future as this investment continues to have a positive impact across the region and beyond.”
Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD said “I want to congratulate CLS on their announcement of 140 new jobs. This is a terrific endorsement in Galway and in the West of Ireland. Moreover, it is a story of success, where a medium sized business enterprise has transformed into a fully Irish-led multinational organisation. I want to acknowledge the role that IDA has played in supporting CLS’s journey and I wish CLS every success as they continue building on three decades of growth in Galway.”
About CLS
Founded in 1994, Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) is highest-accredited Irish-led contract laboratory, licensed by both the HPRA and the FDA. An Irish-led multinational, CLS provides trusted expertise and solutions to clients across diverse sectors.
In 2022, CLS became part of the UK-based Phenna Group platform. Phenna Group specialises in investing in and partnering with niche, independent Testing, Inspection, Certification, and Compliance (TICC) companies, delivering first-class assurance services and peace of mind to customers worldwide. Today, the Group has a turnover of approximately £700 million and employs more than 8,000 people globally, demonstrating both the scale and the strength of its vision.
CLS partners with global leaders across the life science sector, delivering business-enabling solutions in quality assurance, lean transformation, quality control, managed resourcing, specialized training, and strategic consulting. By extending its expertise into these areas, CLS helps organisations strengthen quality frameworks, identify efficiency gains through lean practices, and deliver meaningful transformation initiatives. These solutions are designed to enable clients to meet evolving market demands, streamline operations, and embed a culture of continuous improvement.
As a strategic partner CLS delivers seamless quality, compliance, and operational excellence across the product lifecycle. Solutions are provided at CLS facilities, on client sites, or through tailored hybrid models.
CLS has a proven track record in sample management, testing, validation, training and laboratory resourcing. The company has identified a key opportunity to broaden its solutions portfolio. By offering end-to-end expertise and resources across quality control, quality assurance, and associated training, regulatory affairs and resourcing.
CLS is dedicated to providing seamless, integrated support that drives client success, extending from laboratories to manufacturing and production quality-related supports on compliance, systems and site set ups. CLS is now positioned to deliver operational excellence across every stage of its clients’ processes, both onsite and at CLS’ own facilities.
For further information or to schedule an in-depth interview with Evelyn O’Toole, please contact Mary McCormack at CLS. Phone (087) 92 92 295 or email mmccormack1@cls.ie
