Eli Lilly is further expanding its global manufacturing footprint, revealing a $1.8 billion investment to boost production capacity at two plants in Ireland.
At its Limerick plant, currently under construction, Lilly plans to use part of the new funding to ramp up production of biologic active ingredients, including those for its recently FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatment, Kisunla. This additional investment brings the total for the Limerick facility to $2 billion, following an initial $1 billion earmarked when the site broke ground in March 2023. The expansion will add 150 jobs, increasing the expected workforce to 450. The plant is slated to begin production in 2026.
Additionally, Lilly announced the completion of an $800 million expansion at its Kinsale manufacturing site. The facility, located two hours south of Limerick, began producing the company’s blockbuster diabetes and obesity drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound, last year. This marks the first public mention of the Kinsale expansion.
“These investments will enhance our ability to produce medicines that improve the lives of millions of people living with diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease,” said Edgardo Hernandez, who heads Lilly’s manufacturing operations. “Moreover, these state-of-the-art facilities will be equipped to support our future pipeline.”
Lilly has made significant strides in expanding its manufacturing capabilities, committing over $20 billion since 2020 to build, expand, and acquire facilities across the U.S. and Europe. Recent investments include an additional $5.3 billion announced four months ago for a large-scale manufacturing complex in Lebanon, Indiana, near Lilly’s headquarters. This facility will increase production of active ingredients for tirzepatide products and brings the total investment in the 600-acre campus to $9 billion.
Other major projects include a $2.5 billion plant under construction in Alzey, Germany, set to begin operations in 2027, and a facility in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, expected to be fully operational by the same year. Much of these investments are aimed at meeting the skyrocketing demand for diabetes and obesity drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound, in a market where Lilly competes with Novo Nordisk.
Lilly’s presence in Ireland dates back nearly five decades. The company’s Cork campus has seen rapid growth, quadrupling its workforce since 2019, with over 2,000 employees expected by the end of 2024, many of whom are focused on clinical R&D. The Kinsale facility now benefits from a digital-first approach and continuous manufacturing technology, enabling the production of complex peptides.