“Lilly is entering an exciting period of growth, and we are committed to delivering innovative medicines to patients around the world,” said Edgardo Hernandez, senior vice president and president, Lilly Manufacturing Operations. “Expanding our manufacturing footprint in North Carolina and Ireland enables us to continue to produce today’s medicines while providing additional capacity to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow.”

The biggest part of the investment – $1 billion – will go on creating a new injectable products and devices manufacturing site, along with nearly 600 jobs, in Concord, North Carolina. The rest will be spent in Limerick to build a new biologics active ingredients site, creating more than 300 new jobs.

The selection of Concord was due to the manufacturing technology experience of the local workforce, its proximity to universities with strong science, technology, engineering and math programs, as well as access to major transport links, Lilly said.

In 2020, Lilly invested $470 million in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in the US. The company said that together with this site, the proposed Concord facility will allow it to strengthen relationships with local governments and universities and diversify its growing presence in the state.

Lilly has not disclosed a timescale for the two projects. The Concord investment remains contingent upon completion of county and municipal government permitting and related approvals.

Over the past five years, Lilly has spent more than $4 billion in global manufacturing, including more than $2 billion in the US. The Indianapolis-based group anticipates making more manufacturing investments in the future to address growth expected from potential new medicines to treat diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and autoimmune conditions.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist