Swiss based pharmaceutical group Helsinn is to build a new plant in Dublin. When fully operational it will employ around 70 people, including employees who will relocate from the group's Sandyford facility.

The new plant will manufacture tablet forms of the group's anti inflammatory drug Nimesulide, which is marketed in Ireland as Aulin, as well as other products currently produced at Sandyford.

According to Helsinn it has invested £10 million in its Irish operations since it began in 1990. Northern Telecom wins contract Esat Digifone has confirmed that Northern Telecom has won the contract to supply the infrastructure for the second GSM mobile network. Esat Digifone won the competition for the licence last November, but has yet to sign it with the Government.

Esat Digifone refused to give the size of the contract or the payment terms. Northern Telecom is understood to have made a very competitive bid as it is keen to expand its presence in the EU GSM equipment market place.

The total cost of building the new network, including infrastructure, will be £100 million over three years.