Eli Lilly To Invest $400 Million Upgrading, Expanding Its Indiana Manufacturing

Eli Lilly and Company plans to invest $400 million in its Indianapolis manufacturing facilities, where the company is headquartered.

The money will go towards upgrading and expanding the Lilly Technology Center campus in Indianapolis and add about 100 new jobs within the company.

Dave Sternasty is the vice president of corporate engineering and global health, safety and environment at Lilly. He says it will help the company continue to meet consumer demands for diabetes medicine and other drugs developed in the future.

“The investments include a number of major projects including a new syringe filling line, an expansion of our active ingredient pharmaceutical capacity for future medicines, and then device assembly and packaging capabilities,” says Sternasty.

The facility upgrades in automation and data analytics will be some of Lilly’s most advanced manufacturing technologies says Sternasty.

“For example, the investments we’re making in the device and packing operations, we’re including a high-tech warehouse using the latest technologies, automated guided vehicles and robotics to deliver materials to our packaging and device lines,” he says.

Lilly company officials say the investment was possible after savings from Congress’ 2017 tax reform measures. The company paid no federal taxes on 2018 income, according to the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Company spokesperson Mark Taylor said in a follow-up email, “Lilly pays all taxes due to the taxing authorities in the countries in which we operate.”

The company says with the announcement, Lilly has invested more than $5 billion across the country, most of that in Indiana.

CLARIFICATION: This story has been changed to clarify that Eli Lilly and Company paid no federal income taxes specifically on income earned in 2018. 

Contact Samantha at shorton@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @SamHorton5.