Eli Lilly Commits Over $1.2 Billion to Expand Puerto Rico Manufacturing Hub
October 29, 2025 | Wednesday | News | By Ankit Kankar | ankit.kankar@mmactiv.com
The investment will modernise Lilly’s Carolina facilities, create more than 1,100 new jobs, and strengthen Puerto Rico’s position as a cornerstone of U.S. pharmaceutical production and supply-chain resilience.
The project will modernize Lilly’s facilities in Carolina, generate over 1,100 new jobs across construction and operations, and reinforce the island’s role as a key hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing and a critical link in the U.S. supply chain.
Governor Jenniffer A. González Colón and Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Sebastián Negrón Reichard announced that Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) will invest more than $1.2 billion to modernize and expand its pharmaceutical manufacturing operations in Carolina, Puerto Rico, representing one of the largest private-sector investments in the island’s history and the most significant expansion announced under the current administration.
The new investment will upgrade and expand Lilly’s two main facilities. The first phase involves transforming the company’s PR01 plant, originally built in 1968, into a state-of-the-art oral solid dose manufacturing site. In addition, the PR05 plant, dedicated to insulin production, will undergo expansion to increase manufacturing capacity and integrate cutting-edge pharmaceutical technologies. The initiative also includes major investments in energy integration and sustainability, including a 9-megawatt (MW) cogeneration unit and a 2 MW solar field that together will meet up to 85% of the facilities’ energy demand through cleaner and more efficient sources.
Governor González Colón emphasized that this announcement marks a defining moment for Puerto Rico’s industrial transformation and for the government’s public policy aimed at strengthening its advanced manufacturing base.
“This announcement reflects the essence of our public policy, which is to position Puerto Rico as a strategic hub for advanced manufacturing, innovation, and national economic security,” said the Governor. “Eli Lilly’s historic investment is a powerful vote of confidence in our people, our infrastructure, and our long-term competitiveness within the U.S. supply chain. It demonstrates that global companies can continue to grow and thrive here, while Puerto Rico contributes in a meaningful way to the resilience of the nation’s most critical industries,” González Colón added. The expansion will create 1,100 new jobs across the construction and operations phases, in addition to the multiplier effect of indirect and induced jobs in areas such as logistics, maintenance, utilities, construction, and professional services. More than 1,000 high-skilled jobs currently in place will also be retained, while continuing to advance the development of Puerto Rican talent in the fields of advanced manufacturing and biotechnology.
According to Secretary Negrón Reichard, the project represents not only a milestone for the company, but also a symbol of endurance and shared progress between Lilly and Puerto Rico.
“Eli Lilly’s decision to expand in Puerto Rico reaffirms a partnership that has endured for six decades and reflects the industrial evolution of our island,” said Sebastián Negrón Reichard. “With this historic investment, Puerto Rico demonstrates its ability to attract world-class capital, strengthens the security of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain, and positions the island as a strategic hub within Lilly’s $50 billion U.S. manufacturing expansion commitment. Over the decades, Lilly has invested more than $2 billion in Puerto Rico’s industrial infrastructure and currently employs around 1,000 people, with an annual payroll of approximately $109 million, in addition to supporting hundreds of local suppliers. This new investment represents not only the company’s continued confidence in our talent and institutions, but also the success of our efforts to bring advanced manufacturing back under U.S. jurisdiction through Puerto Rico,” Negrón Reichard added.
Ella Woger-Nieves, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Puerto Rico, emphasized that Lilly’s expansion reinforces the island’s reputation as a trusted and capable manufacturing destination for the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
“Eli Lilly’s expansion in Puerto Rico reaffirms the confidence that the world’s top pharmaceutical companies place in our island’s ability to drive innovation, quality, and operational resilience,” said Woger-Nieves. “This announcement validates Puerto Rico’s role as a strategic pillar for the U.S. pharmaceutical industry and underscores our commitment to strengthening the biosciences sector and creating high-value jobs.”
Lilly has operated in Puerto Rico for over 60 years, becoming one of the first multinational pharmaceutical companies to establish operations on the island and a cornerstone in the development of its modern industrial ecosystem. The company’s local facilities manufacture medicines used in oncology, diabetes, and pain management treatments that are distributed worldwide.
For Lilly, this expansion represents the continuation of a long-standing collaboration with Puerto Rico’s people, government, and academic institutions.
“We are grateful for the decades of support we’ve received from the Puerto Rico government and from the island’s industrial and academic ecosystem,” said Edgardo Hernández, Executive Vice President and President of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. “Collaboration not only makes our manufacturing operations stronger, but it also helps the local economy and everyone living here. Together, we’re helping create a brighter future for Puerto Rico through innovation, investment, and opportunities for our people to thrive,” Hernández concluded.
