U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company has announced plans to invest €2.6 billion ($3 billion) in a new manufacturing facility in Katwijk, within the Leiden Bio Science Park, Netherlands, marking one of the largest life sciences investments in Dutch history.
The project, aimed at boosting production of oral medicines for conditions such as cardiometabolic diseases, oncology, neuroscience, and immunology, underscores the company’s growing European presence and global manufacturing ambitions.
Strategic Expansion in Europe
The facility will serve as a major hub for Lilly’s global supply chain, equipped with advanced automation, paperless operations, and sustainable production systems designed to meet rising demand for its medicines.
Construction is set to begin next year, pending local approvals, and will create an estimated 1,500 construction jobs and 500 permanent high-skill positions once operational.
Lilly’s decision adds momentum to the Netherlands’ strategy of positioning itself as a European leader in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and innovation. The country consistently ranks among the top destinations for life sciences investment, thanks to its stable business climate and strong research ecosystem.
“This is a strategic signal,” said Dr. Anneke Visser, an independent life sciences analyst based in Amsterdam. “Global pharma companies are diversifying manufacturing footprints, and the Netherlands offers a balance of skilled labor, logistics access, and political stability.”
Economic and Policy Implications
Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans hailed the project as a “transformative investment” that will deepen cooperation between government, academia, and industry in developing innovative medicines.
The expansion comes as the European Union seeks to strengthen its pharmaceutical autonomy following pandemic-era supply chain challenges. Lilly’s new site — its first in the Netherlands — complements existing European operations in France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. And adds to a series of recent site announcements in Germany and Ireland.
Industry observers say this signals a broader geographic balancing of pharmaceutical production. With Europe regaining some of the manufacturing capacity that had shifted to the U.S. and Asia over the past two decades.
Sustainability and Global Reach at Core of Lilly’s Planned Netherlands Facility
According to Edgardo Hernandez, president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations, the Katwijk facility will operate under the company’s global sustainability framework, targeting carbon-neutral operations and zero waste to landfill.
“At Lilly, we’re investing in next-generation facilities to ensure our medicines are made closer to the communities we serve,” Hernandez said in a statement.
Lilly’s expansion also reflects the pharmaceutical industry’s broader pivot toward environmentally responsible production and regionalized supply networks, both of which have become strategic priorities in post-pandemic global healthcare policy.
A Competitive and Collaborative Landscape
For the Netherlands, the move strengthens the position of the Leiden Bio Science Park. Already home to more than 400 companies, universities, and research institutions — as a major European biotechnology cluster rivaling those in Basel, Dublin, and Cambridge.
Globally, the investment highlights how major drugmakers are racing to expand capacity amid record demand for treatments targeting chronic diseases and mental health conditions.
Analysts note that the U.S. remains a crucial anchor for Lilly’s manufacturing portfolio. But new European facilities could reduce delivery times and logistical costs for regional patients.
In the U.S., Lilly is expanding its manufacturing capacity, most recently through the planned expansion of its Puerto Rico facility.
Looking Ahead
Pending approval, construction will begin in 2026, with production likely to start later this decade.
If completed on schedule, the site would represent one of Lilly’s largest European investments to date. And a symbol of how transatlantic cooperation continues to shape the next generation of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“The Netherlands is not just gaining a factory,” said Dr. Visser. “It’s securing a place in the global supply chain for critical medicines.”
Eli Lilly Planned Manufacturing Facility in Netherlands: Project Factsheet
Location: Katwijk, Leiden Bio Science Park, Netherlands
Investment Value: €2.6 billion ($3 billion)
Project Overview
New state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing facility for oral medicines. Eli Lilly’s first manufacturing site in the Netherlands and one of the largest life sciences investments in Dutch history.
Product Focus:
Oral medicines for cardiometabolic diseases, oncology, neuroscience, and immunology
Facility Features:
Advanced automation systems
Paperless operations
Sustainable production infrastructure
Carbon-neutral operations target
Zero waste to landfill goal
Timeline:
Construction start: 2026 (pending local approvals)
Production start: Late 2020s (projected)
Economic Impact
Job Creation:
1,500 construction jobs (temporary)
500 permanent high-skill positions
