Novo Nordisk To Invest Additional $22M Into North Carolina Manufacturing Facility Capacity

By Seth Gulledge

As pharmaceutical production continues to expand in counties east of the Triangle, Novo Nordisk has announced another $22M expansion of its Clayton facility, including 22 more jobs. The news comes less than a year since the Danish company announced a $65M expansion.

On Monday, the Johnston County Board of Commissioners approved a seven-year incentive package – the company’s fourth since 2010.

The package, contingent on the completion of the project and the new jobs, is an estimated $600,600 and will be distributed in annual installments of $85,800. County officials said that number will vary with the taxes paid by the company.

"We greatly appreciate the support of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners and the community at large for the quarter century we’ve called Clayton home," stated Chad Henry, corporate vice president and general manager of Novo Nordisk's Clayton site. "Just as seriously as we take the vital role we play in producing innovative medicines for people with diabetes and obesity, we take great pride in creating jobs and supporting economic growth in Johnston and neighboring counties in the Biopharma Crescent region."

Novo Nordisk currently employs about 1,200 manufacturing employees in the county, with an ongoing $2B, 700-employee expansion that was announced in 2015.

In February, the company also announced an additional $65M, 18-job expansion project at the site. Both of the 2018 investments are expansions of the existing plant to increase manufacturing capacity by adding new production lines. According to company officials, the projects will not necessarily expand the physical footprint of the existing facility.

Both are expected to be complete by 2020. Hiring for the new production lines began earlier this year.

Economic officials with the county heralded the most recent announcement as continued proof that both Johnston County and eastern North Carolina are a hot spot for pharma development.

“There are an estimated 10,000 biopharma workers across the Crescent, and those numbers are growing,” said Chris Johnson, director of Johnston County Economic Development. “Proximity to research assets in the Triangle and in Greenville, as well as a proven talent pipeline starting in the middle-school years, are a powerful draw to forward-looking life sciences companies. Combine that with abundant infrastructure and land, and you have the makings of biotech region with a compelling value proposition and a global story to tell.”