Eli Lilly confirms Pennsylvania for US$3.5bn manufacturing site

The company plans to create more than 2,800 manufacturing and construction jobs at Lilly's 10th US manufacturing site announced since 2020. 

Eli Lilly and Company today announced plans to invest more than US$3.5 billion in a new manufacturing facility in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The site will serve as Lilly's newest injectable medicine and device manufacturing facility that will produce next-generation weight-loss therapies, including retatrutide, a first-in-class investigational GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon triple hormone receptor agonist. This is the fourth new US manufacturing site Lilly has announced since February 2025, as part of its commitment to bolster domestic medicine production.  

Lilly will bring 850 high-value jobs to the area, including engineers, scientists, operations personnel and lab technicians. Construction, expected to begin in 2026, is anticipated to generate 2,000 construction jobs. The site will be operational in 2031.

"Our mission starts with patients and delivering the medicines they need. To meet increasing demand, we're expanding our US manufacturing network, with Lehigh Valley adding capacity for next‑generation weight-loss medicines. We're creating high‑quality jobs and collaborating across the region – with suppliers, educators, and workforce‑development partners – to make critical medicines in the US," said David A Ricks, Lilly Chair and CEO. "That's our commitment – to patients, to our new Pennsylvania home and to our country."

Expanding Lilly's US manufacturing presence in Pennsylvania will boost the Lehigh Valley economy. For every dollar Lilly invests, it estimates up to four dollars in additional local economic activity. Also, for each manufacturing job created, several more will be generated in related sectors like supply chain, logistics, and retail.

"When we announced our Economic Development Strategy here in the Lehigh Valley two years ago, we set out to win historic, life-changing deals like the one we're announcing with Lilly today," said Governor Josh Shapiro. "Before I took office, Pennsylvania wasn't even in the conversation for major investments like this, but thanks to our work to cut red tape, invest in site development, and expand our workforce, our Commonwealth is now competing – and winning – on a national scale. Lilly's commitment to the Lehigh Valley and to Pennsylvania will bring billions of dollars of investment and hundreds of good-paying jobs, solidifying our position as a leader in the growing life sciences industry." 

The Lehigh Valley site, located in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, was selected from more than 300 applications, partly based on its proximity to STEM universities, its technical manufacturing economy, and its existing infrastructure. In addition, with increasing demand from the biotech industry, the region offers convenient access to utilities, transportation, and favourable zoning and incentives.

Lilly will utilise advanced technologies, including AI, machine learning, integrated monitoring, and data analytics, to enable efficient operations and a reliable supply of medicine. The company will partner with local universities and invest in education across Pennsylvania to develop talent.

"Lilly Lehigh Valley – our newest injectable medicine and device manufacturing facility – will increase access to next-generation weight-loss treatments and improve the domestic supply of essential medicines for current and future patients," said Edgardo Hernandez, Executive Vice President and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. "Our investment here is more than just building a facility – it's about building a shared future with the people and communities of the Commonwealth. Through meaningful partnerships in Pennsylvania, we're committed to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, advancing environmental stewardship, and creating lasting positive impact that extends far beyond our facility walls."

This announcement is part of the company's commitment to expand our US manufacturing presence. Since 2020, Lilly's capital expansion commitments total more than US$50 billion and include:

• New sites in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana
• Development of the new Lilly Medicine Foundry in Indiana
• Site expansions in Puerto Rico and to our Lilly Technology Center in Indianapolis
• Acquisition and expansion of Lilly's manufacturing site in Wisconsin

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