New US fill finish facility receives $4.1 billion investment

Plans for new Novo Nordisk production facilities in Clayton, North Carolina, US. Credit: Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk has announced one of its largest manufacturing investments; $4.1 billion will support the construction of a second fill and finish facility for aseptic manufacturing in Clayton, North Carolina, US.

The increased capacity will add 1.4 million ft² of production space, double the combined square footage of all three of the company’s existing facilities in North Carolina.

Overall, the expansion will support Novo Nordisk’s ability to produce injectable treatments for obesity and other chronic diseases such as diabetes.

The facility is set to incorporate features that support environmental sustainability, such as roof-top solar panels and innovative water strategies, as well as advanced technology, according to Novo Nordisk.

In 2016, the company announced a new facility, the single largest life sciences investment in North Carolina at the time, Butch Lawter, Chair of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners, US, explained during a press conference.

“Clayton was the first manufacturing site for Novo Nordisk in the US, and this new, large-scale investment confirms the continued importance of our production facilities there as cornerstones of our company’s growth,” shared Henrik Wulff, Executive Vice President, Product Supply, Quality & IT, Novo Nordisk.

Novo Nordisk $11b acquisition to support manufacturing capacity

Further details about Novo Nordisk’s new production facility

The investment will also generate 1,000 new jobs. This is in addition to the company’s current workforce in the region, which totals nearly 2,500 employees, the firm stated.

They added that in 2024, it anticipates increasing its actual production investments. In total, it plans to invest approximately $6.8 billion (DKK 45 billion) in production. This is compared to the company’s $3.9 (DKK 26 billion) investment in 2023, not including acquisitions.

Initial construction work has begun on the new facility. Completion is expected between 2027 and 2029. Currently, worldwide, the pharmaceutical company has a five production sites in Denmark, US, France, Brazil and China, the company noted.