Eli Lilly $4B Pleasant Prairie Expansion: Project Overview, Timeline, and Impact

Project Overview: Eli Lilly Pleasant Prairie Expansion (Wisconsin)

Eli Lilly and Company is investing $4 billion in Pleasant Prairie to expand production of injectable diabetes and obesity therapies—its largest U.S. manufacturing investment outside Indiana.

Scope and Investment

Total investment increased from $3B to $4B, including acquisition, land, and new builds
84,000-sq-ft facility acquired from Nexus Pharmaceuticals in April 2024 for ~$925M
Additions:
- 54,166-sq-ft, three-story office/manufacturing (west)
- 13,940-sq-ft warehouse with four docks (north)
Advanced automated filling technology for injectables

Production and Impact

Products: Mounjaro and Zepbound, plus pipeline drugs
Jobs: 750 permanent; ~2,000 construction
Incentives: Up to $100M in performance-based tax credits from Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Timeline

Site approval: March 2025
Construction start: December 2024 (site work); major build through 2025
Operations: Targeted by March 2026

Strategic Role
Expands U.S. capacity for GLP-1 injectable drugs amid rising global demand.

Operational Launch

According to the Village of Pleasant Prairie, the two major additions—the 54,166-square-foot west addition and the 13,940-square-foot north warehouse—were projected for completion by March 2026.

Active Recruitment: Lilly is currently hiring for high-skilled roles at the site to support this launch, including Warehouse Operations Managers, Maintenance Technicians, and Process Engineers.

Phased Growth: The company previously indicated that the current $4 billion investment is just the beginning, with “several future expansions” intended for the site to meet global demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound.

On Monday, March 17, 2025 Eli Lilly received a final nod from Pleasant Prairie’s Plan Commission for its site and operations plan, clearing the way for a multibillion-dollar expansion of the former Nexus Pharmaceuticals facility. With this approval, Lilly contractors may now apply for permits to begin construction, said village representative Steven Linn.

The Indianapolis drug company bought the 84,000-square-foot building at 10300 128th Ave. from Nexus last April 2024. It will utilize the plant to make injectable medications like pre-filled syringes and glass vials, according to documents submitted to the Plan Commission.

Lilly has committed over $23 billion of investments in manufacturing since 2020. At Wisconsin, its total proposed investment including expansion, land acquisition, and an adjacent warehouse—came in at $4 billion. By December 2024, the company wanted to invest $3 billion in Kenosha County and create 750 new jobs.

As part of the Eli Lilly’s Pleasant Prairie expansion plans, an office and manufacturing addition of three stories and 54,166 square feet will be built on the west side of the plant, including a cafeteria. A 13,940-square-foot warehouse with four dock doors will be added to the north face of the building.

Pleasant Prairie’s Plan Commission granted preliminary approval in December, allowing initial excavation, foundation construction, and underground utility installation to begin. The unanimous vote on March 2025was the final hurdle before full-scale construction can begin.

Lilly indicated that expanding its global injectable product manufacturing network is the solution to meeting increasing demand for diabetes, obesity, and pipeline medications. To support this, the firm will install automatic filling technology to its injectable drugs at the facility.

The project reflects a wider U.S. buildout of biologics and injectable drug capacity, alongside developments such as UCB Biologics Manufacturing Campus in Georgia, expanding regional manufacturing hubs beyond traditional pharmaceutical centers.

Eli Lilly Pleasant Prairie Expansion: Project Factsheet

Project Overview

Final approval received from Pleasant Prairie’s Plan Commission for site and operational plan

Purpose: Manufacturing injectable medicines, including pre-filled syringes and glass vials

Location: 10300 128th Ave. (former Nexus Pharmaceuticals facility)

Investment

Total Wisconsin Investment: $4 billion (including expansion, land acquisition, and adjacent warehouse)

Pleasant Prairie Expansion (Kenosha County) Commitment: $3 billion investment announced December 2024

Job Creation: 750 new positions

Part of Larger Initiative: Over $23 billion in manufacturing investments by Lilly since 2020

Facility Specifications

Original Facility Size: 84,000 square feet (acquired from Nexus Pharmaceuticals in April 2024)

West Addition: Three-story, 54,166-square-foot office and manufacturing space with cafeteria

North Addition: 13,940-square-foot warehouse with four dock doors

Technology Integration: Automated filling technology for injectable pharmaceuticals

Timeline for Eli Lilly’s Pleasant Prairie Expansion

December: Preliminary approval granted

April 2024: Acquisition of Nexus Pharmaceuticals facility

March 2025: Final approval received, construction permits being processed

Preliminary Work: Initial groundwork, foundation preparations, and underground utility installations began after December approval

Construction Review