Amgen, one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, will invest $550 million to build a new manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, NC. The investment will bring 355 jobs to Holly Springs, which has become a preferred destination for the life sciences industry.
“Amgen has a long history in biologics manufacturing and continues to innovate and develop new technologies to better serve patients. At this new facility, we plan to include some of our most advanced technologies,” said Arleen Paulino, Amgen Senior Vice President of Manufacturing. “We chose North Carolina for this new plant because of the robust biologics ecosystem, and we are excited to partner with the Wake County business community to further expand biotechnology regionally.”
“We are excited to be making this investment in Holly Springs and becoming an important part of the community,” said Amgen Vice President of Site Operations Bob Kenyon. “Beyond being a vibrant business environment, the area offers a skilled, trained and diverse talent pool that we know will help Amgen maintain its long history of serving patients.”
Amgen, which has more than 24,000 employees worldwide, creates life-saving medications for people suffering from serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease. The new manufacturing facility, set to begin operating in 2025, will help the company meet the increasing demand for its products worldwide.
“With Amgen’s reputation as one of the founding companies of the biotech revolution, it is a welcome addition to Wake County’s robust biotechnology sector,” said Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Matt Calabria. “Innovative, global companies like Amgen can expand anywhere in the world, but they continue to choose Wake County because our talented work force, robust infrastructure and high quality of life are extremely attractive in today’s competitive marketplace.”
Amgen’s new manufacturing facility will be located in the Friendship Innovation Park on the northwest side of Holly Springs, south of U.S. 1.
“Amgen brings high-quality jobs to Holly Springs and further strengthens our reputation as a leading global biotech hub,” said Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears. “Our investment in infrastructure, transportation and quality of life amenities makes Holly Springs attractive to those companies that value their employees and want to invest in communities that share their dedication to innovation.”
The Amgen facility in Holly Springs will be built to exacting environmental standards, consistent with the company’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality, reducing water use by 40% and waste disposal by 75% by 2027. The facility also will support Amgen’s participation as a founding member of OneTen, a coalition of many of the world’s largest, best-known companies that aims collectively to hire one million Black Americans into well-paying jobs over the next 10 years, with a specific focus on those without a four-year college degree.
For more than 20 years, North Carolina has been working to position itself as one of the best places on the globe for this kind of growth industry.
“Amgen is a well-known leader in biotechnology,” said Bill Bullock, Senior Vice President of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. “A company of this reputation has its pick of locations, but the fact that it has chosen Holly Springs is a validation of all of the efforts of the town, county and state. These employees will make a home here and will solidify this booming, valuable industry as part of the fabric of our business community.”
“In Wake County we are dedicated to getting all the players to the table when working to attract companies that will provide jobs and economic stability for years to come,” said Michael Haley, Executive Director of Wake County Economic Development and Senior Vice President of the Raleigh Chamber. “Strong regional partnerships with the Town of Holly Springs, the NC BioTech Center, NC Department of Commerce, EDPNC, Wake Tech, NCSU and more make a compelling case to incoming companies.”
