Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Eli Lilly and Company has announced a $1 billion expansion of its Limerick, Ireland, manufacturing site to increase production of biologic active ingredients for the company’s promising portfolio of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. The company also unveiled its new $800 million facility expansion in Kinsale, which began making medicines last year to meet demand for Lilly’s 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 $20 billion to build, expand and acquire manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Europe. This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Peter Burke TD said: “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. Eli Lilly and Company has made a huge commitment to Ireland for almost half a century and these announcements today further solidify their confidence in Ireland as a global leader in the Biopharma sector. Thanks to the Lilly team for their continued investment in Ireland, which is greatly valued by the Irish Government, and I look forward to future collaboration over the next half a century, alongside our IDA colleagues.”

“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.”

Limerick, Ireland
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.

“Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating diagnosis for both the patient and for their loved ones, along with having a huge burden on society,” said Anne E. White, executive vice president and president of Lilly Neuroscience. “The treatments we plan to make here in Limerick offer the potential to be able to slow the progression of early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease and make life better for millions of people around the world.”

The announcement brings Lilly’s total Limerick investment to $2 billion, doubling the investment the company announced in March of 2023. Advanced technologies such as machine learning, AI and automated robotics and systems at the site will enable right-first-time execution, all in support of the safe and reliable supply of medicines. 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.

Kinsale, Ireland
Lilly remains dedicated to addressing major global health issues, and the Kinsale facility is pivotal to maintaining the safe and reliable supply of Lilly’s diabetes and obesity medications. The official opening of Lilly’s Kinsale manufacturing site expansion marks the completion of the state-of-the-art project to help meet the demand for current and future treatments. The site employs a digital-first process that integrates continuous manufacturing technology to create a new manufacturing platform for creating complex peptides. This facility was recently recognised as the winner of the Innovation category in the prestigious “Facility of the Year” awards program run by the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers.

Ireland’s skilled workforce, regulatory environment and pro-innovation government policies have contributed to Lilly’s nearly fifty-year presence in the country. In parallel with our manufacturing growth, Lilly’s Global Business Solutions center in Cork has quadrupled employment levels since 2019, with more than 2,000 employees expected by the end of 2024, over half of whom are working in clinical research and development.

Sustainability
Lilly has a longstanding commitment to sustainability and respecting the local environment, establishing environmental programs across all sites in Ireland. Once completed, the Limerick site will operate with 35% lower energy intensity, use 40% less water, and generate 15% less waste than traditional biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. In Kinsale, Lilly has the single largest privately owned solar farm – 26 acres – in the Republic of Ireland, which powers a significant portion of the facility.