Eli Lilly will invest over €1.6bn to expand its manufacturing footprint in Ireland as it ramps up production capacity across its Cork and Limerick sites.
The pharmaceutical giant has announced a $1bn (€907m) expansion of its Limerick site to increase production of biologic active ingredients for the company’s portfolio of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
The company also unveiled its new $800m (€726m) facility expansion in Kinsale, Co Cork, which began making medicines last year to meet demand for its diabetes and obesity treatments.
This additional investment is part of Eli Lilly’s most ambitious manufacturing expansion agenda in the company’s history. Since 2020, Lilly has committed over $20bn to build, expand, and acquire manufacturing facilities in the US and Europe, the company said.
“Today marks two fantastic investments from Eli Lilly and Company — both the announcement of a $1bn expansion of Lilly’s Limerick site in Raheen and the unveiling of the new $800m facility expansion in Kinsale,” said Enterprise Minister Peter Burke.
“These state-of-the-art facilities will contribute to the treatment of diseases affecting millions of people across the world. They will also create hundreds of new jobs, directly and indirectly, adding to the thousands already employed in Ireland by Lilly.”
“These investments will boost the production of some of our medicines, helping millions of people with diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease live the healthiest lives possible,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations.
“We won’t stop there — these state-of-the-art facilities will also be equipped to support our promising pipeline molecules of the future.”
Once its investment is complete, Limerick will join Lilly’s global manufacturing network producing the biologic active ingredients for the company’s Alzheimer’s disease portfolio and other biologic medicines.
Today’s announcement brings Lilly’s total Limerick investment to $2bn, doubling the investment the company announced in March of 2023.
As a part of this expansion, Lilly will create another 150 jobs for highly skilled workers in Limerick such as engineers, scientists, quality assurance professionals, and operations personnel, for a total of 450 employees.
Lilly initially announced the Limerick site in 2022 and broke ground in March 2023. Production of biologic active ingredients for Lilly medicines is on track to start in 2026.
The Limerick investment project is subject to planning approval, and the company will submit a planning application to the Limerick City and County Council in due course.
“Today’s announcement in Limerick effectively doubles down on Eli Lilly and Company’s 2022 announcement to build a new manufacturing facility in Raheen,” said IDA chief executive Michael Lohan.
“Meanwhile the official opening of the $800m expansion of its manufacturing site in Kinsale enhances the campus’ capabilities to create complex peptides.
“Since establishing in Ireland in 1978, Lilly’s operations here have been producing key healthcare products supporting the fight against several of the world’s most serious illnesses. I wish to assure Lilly of IDA Ireland’s continued partnership and wish them every success with the far-reaching outcomes of the investments unveiled today.”