$5B Pharmaceutical Plant Will Bring 2400 Jobs To VA

RICHMOND, VA — Virginia leaders said Tuesday that pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company is moving forward with plans for a $5 billion state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will generate 650 high-wage jobs and 1,800 construction jobs within five years.

Lilly’s announcement is an expansion beyond original plans for a $2.148 billion investment, creating 468 jobs, according to a news release from Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office. The project positions Virginia as a cornerstone of America’s domestic pharmaceutical supply chain, producing both critical drug components and finished medicines.

“Lilly is one of the world’s great innovators, and I want to thank them for this significant commitment to Virginia,” Youngkin said. “This new facility in Goochland County will create 650 great jobs, along with 1,800 construction jobs, and deliver some of the most advanced medicines in Lilly’s portfolio, powered by the unmatched talent of our Virginia workforce. By expanding manufacturing capacity here in the United States, we are strengthening our economy, securing America’s critical pharmaceutical supply chain, and positioning Virginia to lead in the industries that will drive innovation for generations to come.”

The investment in Virginia underscores the company's commitment to U.S. innovation and manufacturing — creating high-quality jobs, strengthening communities, and advancing the health and well-being of Americans nationwide, said Lilly Chair and CEO David A. Ricks.

“By expanding our domestic capacity, we’re building a secure, resilient supply chain that delivers for patients today and supports the breakthrough medicines of tomorrow,” he said.

The new site will be the company’s first dedicated, fully integrated active pharmaceutical ingredient and drug product plant for Lilly’s emerging bioconjugate platform and monoclonal antibody portfolio. These treatments are primarily used to treat cancer, but are being explored for autoimmune diseases and other conditions.

Eli Lilly has committed to more than $50 billion in new manufacturing investments since 2020 with plans to build four new manufacturing facilities in the United States with locations to be announced before the end of 2025. The Goochland project represents one of these four projects.

Lilly is a nearly 150-year-old pharmaceutical company based in Indianapolis, Indiana. With more than 49,000 employees worldwide, more than 22,000 employees are based in the United States. Lilly has manufacturing facilities located in nine countries, including U.S.-based facilities in Indiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Goochland County and the General Assembly’s Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission to secure the project for Virginia. Lilly will be eligible to receive an MEI Commission-approved special appropriation of up to $130 million based on an investment of more than $2.148 billion and the creation of 468 jobs, subject to approval by the Virginia General Assembly.

Support for Lilly’s job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, which will deliver recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards and culture.