The new plant, a $195 million investment, is expected to be fully operational by 2027 and will focus on producing the key active components for its next-generation immunology, oncology, and neuroscience medicines.
Global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie celebrated a significant milestone today, announcing the commencement of construction for its new state-of-the-art Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing facility in North Chicago, Illinois. This groundbreaking marks a tangible step in the company's long-term strategy to strengthen its domestic production capabilities and supply chain resilience within the United States.
The new facility represents a $195 million investment by AbbVie, a move that will not only expand the company’s existing U.S. manufacturing network but is also poised to create new jobs, further solidifying its commitment to the state of Illinois, where the company is headquartered. AbbVie currently employs over 11,000 people in Illinois and maintains a workforce of 28,000 across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
"Today's groundbreaking is an important milestone in AbbVie's ongoing campaign to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation and manufacturing capabilities in the U.S.," stated Azita Saleki-Gerhardt, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief operations officer at AbbVie. She highlighted the company’s ambitious investment plan, adding, "Over the next decade, AbbVie plans to invest more than $10 billion in capital to add multiple new U.S. manufacturing plants and improve the lives of millions of patients in the U.S. and worldwide who depend on our medicines."
The API facility is a crucial component of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing is a highly complex, multistep process responsible for producing the core chemical compounds that provide a medicine's therapeutic effect. Once completed and fully operational by 2027, the North Chicago plant will significantly expand AbbVie's internal chemical synthesis capabilities.
A key strategic goal of this new construction is the repatriation of API production for select medicines. The facility will enable AbbVie to transition the manufacturing of active ingredients for its current and next-generation neuroscience, immunology, and oncology medicines from sites in Europe and Asia back to the United States. This domestic capacity is designed to enhance supply chain control and support the consistent production of critical medications for both American and global patients.
This investment is an extension of AbbVie’s substantial existing footprint, which already supports over 6,000 American jobs across 11 manufacturing sites nationwide. The planned expansion in North Chicago underscores the company’s dedication to maintaining a strong presence in its home state while simultaneously contributing to the growth and stability of the entire U.S. biopharmaceutical sector.
