J&J said one of the new plants will be built in Wilson, North Carolina, where the pharmaceutical giant officially broke ground on Friday, but did not disclose where the rest will be built. The drug and medical device maker said the investment represents a 25% increase over the past four years.
J&J, Pfizer and other companies that operate large factories outside the U.S., such as in Ireland, could be at risk. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to increase domestic manufacturing, has been pressuring drugmakers since taking office to move production of drugs to the United States.
J&J, the world's largest drugmaker by revenue, said it already has more manufacturing capacity in the United States than in any other country. The company also plans to expand its existing U.S. sites and build new research and development infrastructure.
The J&J facility in Wilson, where the company plans to invest more than $2 billion, is expected to create 5,000 jobs during construction and more than 500 jobs statewide.
The New Jersey-based company said the venture will manufacture drugs used to treat cancer, immune-mediated and neurological diseases.
Source: Reuters
