Gananoque’s Cardinal Health hiring ‘as quickly as we can’

David Leonard, manufacturing director for Cardinal Health in Gananoque, speaks to attendees at the Leeds-Grenville Economic Development Summit in Kemptville, Ont. Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. Leonard says the company plans to add 50 positions to its workforce of 450 as it forges ahead with reaching untapped markets for medical devices. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston)

KEMPTVILLE – A world leading manufacturer of medical devices and pharmaceuticals is planning another expansion and adding more jobs in Gananoque.

David Leonard, manufacturing director of the Gananoque operations for Cardinal Health, gave an overview of the company Friday to attendees at the Leeds-Grenville Economic Development Summit.

“The impact that our products made right here in Gananoque have on people. When you enter into the medical system and the hospital system, it touches everyone, and that’s pretty special,” Leonard said.

The Gananoque plant makes pads for defibrillators – devices you may see in your local arena. Cardinal Health also positions itself as the single largest producer of ECG (electrocardiograms) electrodes in the world. The plant also makes devices for neo-care – helping mom and baby through the birthing process – such as eye shades for premature babies.

Cardinal plans to add 50 positions “as quickly as we can” to their full-time workforce of over 450, Leonard said. The employees are needed in order for the company to enter “untapped markets.”

In addition to adding to the workforce, the 107,000 square foot operation at 215 Herbert Street in Gananoque also has 8.5 acres available on its 13 acre site to expand its footprint.

The plant, which runs around the clock as of this year, is churning out over a billion medical devices a year.

But Leonard concedes the company has some areas of concern – namely the implications of the impending $15 per hour minimum wage – and getting through the red tape quickly to get more equipment into operation to make the products.

The operation in Gananoque has had a number of names – most recently Covidien and then Medtronic before Cardinal Health bought a divested portion of Medtronic – one of Cardinal’s largest supplier – in a $6.1 billion deal in July.

After Proctor & Gamble, Cardinal Health is the largest private sector employer in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.