By Chris Capot, Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Johnson & Johnson, a global health care and medtech company based in New Jersey, plans to invest more than $2 billion to build a new biologics production facility in Wilson.
The new facility, which will produce monoclonal antibodies, will occupy more than 300,000 square feet of space at the Wilson Corporate Park and create 420 jobs over five years.
Life sciences investments in Wilson have been in the spotlight lately with the governor’s announcement last week that Reckitt Benckiser, a global leader in health, hygiene and nutrition, will establish a major production plant there to produce the over-the-counter medicine Mucinex, creating 289 jobs with an investment of $145.59 million.
“We welcome this tremendous investment by Johnson & Johnson as they expand their global manufacturing footprint,” said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. “Life sciences leaders continue to select North Carolina because our world-class workforce will help the company successfully produce innovative medicines that will make a profound impact on our state and patients around the world.”
Janssen Biotech Inc., a subsidiary of J&J, is the specific entity going into Wilson and is a leading pharmaceutical company focused on innovation in six therapeutic areas: cardiovascular and metabolism, immunology, infectious diseases and vaccines, neuroscience, oncology, and pulmonary hypertension. J&J is the world’s largest and most diversified healthcare product company with a presence in virtually all countries in the world with over 130,000 employees globally engaged in research and development, manufacturing and sales.
“A strong, global supply chain is crucial, and we purposefully invest to ensure our transformational medicines reliably and efficiently reach patients around the world,” said Dapo Ajayi, vice president, Innovative Medicine Supply Chain, J&J. “We are investing in capacity and new technologies to enhance our industry leading capabilities and ensure a resilient supply chain for the future. North Carolina is an important hub for biopharmaceutical manufacturing and talent, and we are pleased to join this thriving life sciences ecosystem and become part of the Wilson community.”
This project represents the establishment of a new drug substance manufacturing operation for J&J.
Wilson in spotlight, again
The area including and around Wilson has become known as the BioPharma Crescent. It encompasses Pitt, Johnston and Wilson counties and is home to established life sciences companies such as CMP Pharma, Fresenius Kabi, Grifols, Catalent, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Today’s announcement from J&J builds on the momentum the region has experienced over 2024. Since the start of the year, life sciences companies have announced plans to create more than 2,600 jobs and invest over $6 billion in the BioPharma Crescent.
In addition to last week’s announcement from Reckitt, Neopac recently announced its plans for a $10 million expansion in Wilson, adding a new line to its facility there. Beyond this, SCHOTT Pharma USA will be investing $371 million in a new facility to manufacture pre-fillable syringes, and IDEXX Laboratories will invest $147 million to establish a facility to produce its veterinary diagnostic products – both in Wilson. Other recent announcements in the BioPharma Crescent include Novo Nordisk’s record setting $4.1billion expansion in Clayton, and Nipro’s $397.8 million investment in Pitt County.
Wilson has become an attractive place for life sciences investments, particularly because of its proximity to the Research Triangle and Greenville. While Wilson benefits from its proximity to existing life sciences training infrastructure including the Eastern Region Pharma Center (ERPC), Wake Tech East in Wendell, as well as the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC) at North Carolina State University, the scale of recent growth has created demand for additional training resources.
To meet the growing need for life sciences talent in eastern North Carolina, Wilson plans to establish a new life sciences training center. The center, which received a $30 million investment from the state in 2023, is expected to include about 35,000 square feet of total space. Plans call for simulated cleanroom environments, flexible classroom space and administrative offices to make up the bulk of the center.
With a focus on biologics, or therapies derived from living sources, the center is being designed to train skilled workers in complex and precise manufacturing processes.
“North Carolina has one of the largest biologics manufacturing workforces in the nation,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Economic and workforce development collaboration is critical to ensuring we have the foundation and business climate for innovators like Johnson & Johnson to succeed, and we are grateful for the partners that are helping us strengthen our life sciences reputation.”
New training center a key factor
The commitment to establish a new biologics training center in Wilson was a key factor in J&J’s decision, said Laura Rowley, Ph.D., vice president for life sciences economic development, North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
“This center will further elevate the network of training infrastructure in the state to open additional pathways and ensure that life sciences companies in Wilson and surrounding counties have the skilled workers they need to thrive,” Rowley said. “J&J is another great fit for this community that already understands what pharmaceutical manufacturers need for success.”
To further enhance J&J’s ability to recruit local talent, an NCBiotech Partnership Development Grant will support the purchase of equipment to implement BioWork at Wilson County Schools. Johnston and Wake County schools have successfully leveraged North Carolina’s Career and College Promise program to offer the BioWork certificate, providing foundational biomanufacturing training for young people before they graduate high school.
“The state’s investment to build a biologics training center in Wilson has made the city the perfect location for Johnson & Johnson’s new facility,” said N.C. Sen. Buck Newton. “The biologics training center, along with our strong local workforce and North Carolina’s low-tax business climate, will help Johnson & Johnson achieve success for many years to come. Wilson is a top location for the life sciences sector, and I can’t wait to see the benefits of the high-paying jobs coming to the area.”
Doubling Wilson Co.’s average annual wage
New positions for the project will include analysts, engineers, microbiologists, scientists, specialists, managers and senior leaders. Although salaries will vary by position, the average annual wage for this J&J facility is expected to be $108,823, which exceeds the Wilson County average of $52,619. These new jobs could create a potential payroll impact of more than $45.7 million for the region each year, the state said.
J&J’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) awarded to Janssen which was approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee today. Over the course of the grant’s 12-year term, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $2.3 billion.
The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 262 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost to the state, the state receives $3.62 in state revenue. Wilson County approved just under $50 million of incentives over a 13-year period, split between the county and the city of Wilson.
“This is an amazing development for Wilson and the BioPharma Crescent,” said Mark Phillips, vice president of statewide operations and executive director of NCBiotech’s Eastern Office. “We are so excited to welcome Johnson & Johnson, a world-class organization, to our region for its next biologics manufacturing facility. Eastern North Carolina, and Wilson in particular, have partnered for many years to build their region into one that life sciences companies seek out in order to achieve success, and this continued growth will provide a wide variety of workforce opportunities within this sector.”
Partnering with the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were NCBiotech, the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, North Carolina Community College System, Wilson Community College, BioPharma Crescent, Wilson County, Wilson Economic Development Council, and the City of Wilson.
The preceding article originally appeared on October 1, 2024 at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center‘s website and is made available here for educational purposes only. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 106A-117 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Photo above courtesy of Johnson & Johnson
