Kenosha, Wisconsin, is poised for an economic revival, thanks to a groundbreaking $3 billion investment from pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly.
This announcement comes just days after a high-stakes meeting at Mar-a-Lago between President-elect Donald Trump, his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and top executives from major pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Pfizer.
The meeting, which also included Trump’s incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles and representatives from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), signals a potential realignment of U.S. health policy.
While the specifics remain under wraps, insiders suggest the discussions centered on finding cures for cancer, among other topics, according to Axios.
This development is being hailed as a masterstroke by Trump, who has long championed bringing jobs back to the U.S. and revamping the pharmaceutical industry to prioritize American innovation and production.
Eli Lilly’s decision to expand its Kenosha facility is being lauded by Trump supporters as a direct result of the strategic discussions in Mar-a-Lago.
According to the company’s press release, the $3 billion investment will not only enhance the production of injectable medicines but also create 750 high-paying jobs in Kenosha County.
The expansion will also generate more than 2,000 construction jobs, making it one of the largest economic boosts in the region’s history.
Read the press release:
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced a $3 billion expansion of the Kenosha County, Wisconsin, manufacturing facility that the company acquired earlier this year. This investment will extend the company’s global parenteral (injectable) product manufacturing network, helping to meet the growing demand for its diabetes, obesity and future pipeline medicines across therapeutic areas. Lilly expects to add 750 highly skilled jobs to the current 100-plus workforce at this location.
The company plans to start construction on the expansion next year. This represents another step in Lilly’s historic manufacturing expansion agenda to help more people who depend on its medicines. Since 2020, Lilly has committed more than $23 billion to construct, expand and acquire manufacturing sites worldwide.
“Today’s announcement represents our single largest U.S. manufacturing investment outside our home state of Indiana and will add to our ability to expand capacity to make both our existing and future pipeline of medicines right here in the Midwest,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. “We look forward to bringing high-wage, advanced manufacturing, engineering and science jobs to people in Wisconsin, a state that is becoming a critical geography in our global manufacturing operations.”
The acquisition, expansion, and additional purchases of land and the adjacent warehouse bring Lilly’s total planned investment in Wisconsin to $4 billion. The expanded facility will focus on manufacturing injectable medicines, device assembly and packaging for medicines across multiple therapeutic areas.
Lilly will use advanced automation, including guided vehicles, robotics and production equipment, to accelerate medicine production. From data management to operations, digital automation will be embedded throughout the site to accelerate processes and increase accuracy, allowing employees to focus on making safe, high-quality medicines.
New highly skilled jobs at the site will include operators, technicians, engineers and scientists – in addition to more than 2,000 construction jobs during the expansion project’s construction.
“Southeastern Wisconsin has seen tremendous growth over the past year with major companies announcing significant investments in our state, and we are thrilled to add Lilly to that growing list with their $3 billion expansion that will add 750 highly skilled, family-supporting jobs to Kenosha County,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “As a U.S. Regional Tech Hub, Wisconsin is a national leader in personalized medicine and biohealth, and through this partnership with Lilly, we’re going to keep advancing research and innovation and bolstering Wisconsin’s manufacturing industry, all while supporting workers, families, and patients across our state and around the world.”
Lilly aims to advance innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing by fostering partnerships with local higher education institutions and supporting various community initiatives in Wisconsin.
