Eli Lilly announces $1B expansion of Ireland manufacturing site

Eli Lilly announced a $1B expansion of its Limerick, Ireland, manufacturing site to increase production of biologic active ingredients, including those for its recently approved treatment for early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. The company also unveiled its new $800M facility expansion in Kinsale, Ireland, which began making medicines last year to meet demand for Lilly’s latest diabetes and obesity treatments. This additional investment is part of the most ambitious manufacturing expansion agenda in the company’s history. Since 2020, Lilly has committed more than $20B to build, expand and acquire manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Europe. Once 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. This announcement brings Lilly’s total Limerick investment to $2B, doubling the investment the company announced in March 2023. Advanced technologies such as machine learning, AI and automated robotics and systems at the site will enable right-first-time execution. 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.