Johnson & Johnson Investing $2B to Build Pharma Factory in North Carolina

It could create up to 420 jobs in the area.

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Johnson & Johnson has picked the city of Wilson in North Carolina as the spot for its new pharmaceutical manufacturing campus, a $2 billion investment that the company said will create 420 jobs in Wilson County.

J&J said the project will create demand for new positions including analysts, engineers, microbiologists, scientists, specialists, managers and senior leaders, with an average annual wage of $108,823. The new North Carolina project will be facilitated in part by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) awarded to J&J subsidiary Janssen Biotech, which was approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. The grant carries a 12-year term, during which it's estimated to grow the state’s economy by $2.3 billion.

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“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, Johnson & Johnson. “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.”

“North Carolina has one of the largest biologics manufacturing workforce 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.”

A performance-based grant of $1,500,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will also help facilitate J&J’s new operation in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“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. Senator 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.”

The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina would like to recognize the North Carolina Department of Commerce as well as other key partners involved in this project, including the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, North Carolina Community College System, Wilson Community College, BioPharma Crescent, Wilson County, Wilson Economic Development Council, and the City of Wilson.

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