Novartis to Build Major Manufacturing Hub in North Carolina as Part of Expanding U.S. Investment
Novartis announces a large-scale U.S. expansion with new facilities in North Carolina, aiming to boost domestic production, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen its long-term American manufacturing footprint.
Novartis has unveiled a major expansion plan in North Carolina, marking one of its most significant U.S. manufacturing commitments in recent years.
The company confirmed that the new development will be part of its broader five-year, $23 billion investment strategy aimed at strengthening its American operations.
The upcoming manufacturing hub is expected to generate 700 direct jobs, while an additional 3,000 indirect roles are projected across the broader supply chain.
These new opportunities are planned to unfold by 2030, positioning North Carolina as a growing center for pharmaceutical innovation and production.
The announcement follows a recent preliminary trade agreement between the United States and Switzerland, designed to ease tariff pressures and encourage deeper economic collaboration.
Under the agreement, U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods are expected to fall from 39% to 15%, creating a more favorable environment for cross-border investment.
In return, Swiss companies, including Novartis, have pledged a collective investment of $200 billion into the U.S. economy by 2028.
Novartis’ newly planned hub will include two advanced facilities in Durham, focused on biologics manufacturing and sterile packaging for high-precision medical products.
A separate site will be located in Morrisville, dedicated to solid dosage production and packaging across key therapeutic areas.
The company also plans to expand its existing Durham campus, adding new capabilities to support sterile biologics filling and quality-controlled production.
These expansions are intended to strengthen Novartis’ manufacturing resilience, making it possible for the company to produce all core U.S. medicines domestically.
The focus on domestic output reflects a broader shift across the pharmaceutical sector, as global supply chain disruptions have pushed companies to localize critical operations.
Novartis emphasized that increasing U.S. manufacturing capacity is central to ensuring consistent access to essential treatments, particularly in high-demand categories.
The new facilities are expected to be operational between 2027 and 2028, with construction, hiring, and training phases rolling out gradually across the next several years.
Industry analysts see the expansion as a strategic move, strengthening the company’s presence in a region already known for biotech leadership.
North Carolina’s Research Triangle has long attracted major pharmaceutical, biotech, and research institutions, making it an ideal environment for large-scale development.
The new investment is also expected to stimulate additional activity in related sectors, including packaging, logistics, scientific equipment, and high-skilled technical services.
Local officials welcomed the announcement, viewing it as a significant boost to the regional economy and a long-term opportunity for workforce growth.
Novartis stated that the expansion is designed not only to increase capacity, but also to support innovation in biologics, sterile production, and advanced pharmaceutical technologies.
The company aims to build modern, efficient, and highly regulated facilities capable of meeting future demand for complex medical treatments.
Beyond boosting production, the initiative aligns with broader U.S. objectives to localize essential medicine manufacturing and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers.
The collaboration between the Swiss and U.S. governments marks a shift toward deeper economic alignment, reinforcing trade stability and long-term investment channels.
With construction timelines already mapped out, Novartis is preparing to begin the next phase of planning and regional coordination.
As the project progresses, the company says its focus will remain on delivering state-of-the-art manufacturing systems equipped for future medical and scientific advancements.
The North Carolina expansion is expected to play a decisive role in shaping Novartis’ U.S. presence over the next decade, marking a major step in its global growth strategy.
