Johnson & Johnson to Break Ground on $2 Billion Biologics Facility in North Carolina

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) said it would break ground on the construction of a 500,000-square-foot biologics manufacturing facility in Wilson, North Carolina, marking the first phase of its $55 billion U.S. investment plan.

The company stated that the manufacturing facility will “expand its capacity to deliver transformational medicines for people living with cancer, immune-mediated diseases, and neurological diseases. “

The $2 billion-plus project will create 5,000 construction jobs and over 500 permanent positions, with operations expected to generate $3 billion in economic impact for the state within a decade.

 

An interior rendering of the biologics manufacturing facility planned by Johnson & Johnson in Wilson, North Carolina. Image: Johnson & Johnson

Expansion Highlights 

• Four new facilities: The North Carolina site is the first of four planned advanced manufacturing plants, with three additional locations yet to be disclosed.  
  
  
• Biologics focus: The Wilson facility will produce next-generation therapies for cancer, immunology, and neurological diseases.

• R&D and tech upgrades: Investments include robotics, drug discovery acceleration, and workforce training.

Joaquin Duato, CEO of the multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies company, said the project will support domestic production and add high-tech jobs.  

Manufacturing Facility Trends and Outlook

The expansion aligns with broader industry trends, following similar manufacturing pledges by Apple and TSMC to ramp up U.S. manufacturing. J&J currently operates 22 U.S. facilities, the most of any country in its global manufacturing portfolio.

 

 

In ConstructConnect’s 2025 Forecast, Chief Economist Michael Guckes said, “Manufacturing starts to rise by 13.4% YoY in 2025, followed by a plateau in spending between 2026 and 2028.

Guckes added, “However, our long-term forecast for manufacturing construction could be significantly influenced by future trade laws and tax changes. Tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. may encourage some companies to invest in manufacturing infrastructure domestically.”

 

The 2025 full-year Construction Starts forecast by category has manufacturing growing at 13.4% in 2025. Image: ConstructConnect, The Construction Economy Yearbook

Dapo Ajayi, Vice President, Innovative Medicine Supply Chain at Johnson & Johnson, said, “This is a major investment and an exciting time as we start construction on this advanced manufacturing facility, using the latest technology and building a highly skilled workforce to deliver on our promise to patients.”