Georgia Chosen as the Location for UCB’s New U.S. Biologics Manufacturing Facility
Originally appeared in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News.
Belgium-based UCB selected Gwinnett County, Georgia, as the location for its new U.S. biologics manufacturing facility. The campus will use a digital-first approach by leveraging AI, robotics, and automation while being natural resources efficient, according to UCB.
Spanning approximately 460,000 square feet, the campus will sit on 79 acres and is designed to be a cornerstone of UCB’s global biologics manufacturing network. Once operational, the facility is expected to produce complex biologics 24/7 primarily for the U.S. market.
In combination with UCB’s global network, the facility will strengthen UCB supply resilience globally while the new campus will serve as a hub for U.S. manufacturing operations, notes Jean-Christophe Tellier, UCB CEO, adding that the company has achieved 15 FDA approvals or indication expansions, nine of which were secured in the past three years.
“This decision reflects our confidence in UCB’s long-term growth and our deep-rooted commitment to the United States,” says Tellier. “By investing in Gwinnett County and the Rowen Foundation in Georgia, where our U.S. headquarters have been based for more than three decades, we are strengthening our biologics manufacturing capabilities, supporting our innovation pipeline, and creating high-quality jobs in a state that offers outstanding talent, a strong manufacturing tradition, and an ecosystem designed for sustainable, long-term success.
“This project is expected to generate approximately $5 billion in total economic impact, reflecting the broader value it will create for the region and its communities.”
UCB has selected Rowen Development in Gwinnett County as the site for the new biologics manufacturing facility. A company spokesperson notes that Rowen offers a scalable site within a master-planned innovation district, strong infrastructure access, efficient permitting processes, and participation in a growing life sciences and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
Located in the Atlanta metropolitan area—between Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia—the site provides access to a deep and expanding talent pool across science, engineering, and advanced manufacturing, points out the spokesperson, who says the surrounding community also offers a strong quality of life and a rapidly growing workforce to support manufacturing capabilities.
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