Fresenius (NYSE:FMS) business group Fresenius Kabi said today it is investing approximately $250 million over 10 years to expand its Melrose Park manufacturing site.
The Lake Zurich, Ill.-based business said the plant, which manufactures generic, sterile injectable pharmaceuticals, is slated to be expanded into a manufacturing campus through a multi-stage, multi-year project with ground breaking planned for 2017 and completion slated for 2026.
“We are creating a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing campus that will be a showcase for our company and the production of injectable generic medicines. This project will create many opportunities for our employees, who work around-the-clock to produce life-saving medicines for patients who need them. Our expectation is that the positive effects of this extensive construction project and our continued growth will benefit the people and business community of Melrose Park and Illinois,” Fresenius Kabi pharma division senior veep of global operations in North America Steven Nowicki said in a press release.
The expansion will include multiple new buildings attached to the existing manufacturing site, including fully automated aseptic filling lines using isolator technology, expanded lyophilization capabilities, formulation areas, a dedicated raw material and component warehouse and an administration building with a conference center, laboratories, office space and a cafeteria, Fresenius Kabi said.
“We are glad Fresenius Kabi has chosen to invest in its Melrose Park location and its employees. Fresenius Kabi is a leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing and its investment reinforces Illinois’ position as a hub for life sciences and biotechnology. This also shows a commitment for supporting high-skilled technical jobs for Illinois residents,” Ill. Governor Bruce Rauner said in prepared remarks.
Fresnius Kabi houses multiple locations in Illinois, and has manufacturing sites in New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania with more than 2,500 employees in the U.S.
“We are delighted to be the home of this $250 million investment and major plant expansion by one of our best corporate neighbors. It represents hundreds of new high-paying construction and highly skilled permanent jobs in our community and underscores my commitment to the continued economic renaissance underway in Melrose Park,” Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico said in a prepared statement.