Merck invests $1B to build biologics manufacturing facility in Delaware
Merck has announced plans to build a biologics manufacturing facility in Wilmington, Delaware. The company, which develops and produces medicines and vaccines, has invested $1 billion in the project, creating more than 500 full-time roles and approximately 4,000 construction jobs.
Located at the Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP), the 470,000-square-foot facility will be dedicated to manufacturing potent antibody-drug conjugates and other next-generation biologics. It will also have the capability to produce KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for U.S. patients. The laboratory component of the site is expected to be operational by 2028, with production of investigational compounds projected to begin by 2030.
Merck plans to further expand the facility beyond the initial build, with potential to add another 1,500 full-time positions and up to 26,000 construction jobs. The facility’s location near Delaware and Pennsylvania universities is expected to help attract skilled talent and support regional workforce development.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Robert M. Davis, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck, said, “The Merck Wilmington Biotech site represents our continued commitment to growing our investments in U.S. manufacturing and has the potential to create thousands of high-paying American jobs while ensuring that we can produce and distribute products close to patients right here in the U.S.”
Matt Meyer, governor, State of Delaware, added, “This new site in Delaware is on the cutting edge of innovation, helping lead the way as we transform medicine and technology. Merck is pioneering the next generation of care right here in Wilmington, and they couldn’t have picked a better place to do it. The positive impact this will have on Wilmington and the state of Delaware is exciting, and this is the just the beginning.”
Investing in American manufacturing in 2025
This map shows where manufacturers are choosing to invest their resources, whether they are building new production facilities or expanding existing plants.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
