Merck invests $1B to open vaccine manufacturing facility in North Carolina

Merck invests $1B to open vaccine manufacturing facility in North Carolina

March 17, 2025
The new 225,000-square-foot facility will enhance Merck's vaccine production capabilities and create new jobs.

Merck (known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada) has opened a new vaccine manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina. The company, which develops and produces medicines and vaccines, invested $1 billion into the facility. This expansion is expected to create significant new job opportunities in the region.

The 225,000-square-foot facility will produce vaccines and is designed with advanced technologies that support efficient and flexible manufacturing processes. These technologies include data analytics, generative AI, and 3D printing, which will help improve production and innovation. A training center equipped with a digital twin will also be used to simulate process changes and accelerate employee training.

What people are saying

In a recent quote, Sanat Chattopadhyay, executive vice president and president, Merck Manufacturing Division, said, “Expanding our manufacturing facility in Durham marks a significant milestone in our efforts to strengthen our production capabilities in the U.S. The cutting-edge technologies employed here empower our workforce and underscore our leadership in innovation to support patients everywhere."

Amanda Taylor, vice president and plant manager at the Merck Manufacturing Division site in Durham, added, “This level of investment and commitment speaks so powerfully to the work we do here in Durham. To see the pride and the energy of the people who work here and are helping drive this evolution in our capabilities is just phenomenal.

Manufacturers investing in North Carolina

groninger invests $15.1M to expand machine manufacturing operations in North Carolina
The Charlotte facility currently handles sales, service and parts manufacturing for groninger customers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. 

Pratt & Whitney invests $285M to expand turbine airfoil manufacturing plant in North Carolina
With this investment, the facility will now offer an expanded production capacity to meet growing customer demand.

Superior Glove to open first U.S. manufacturing plant in North Carolina
The company has leased a 45,000-square-foot warehouse for its operations and plans to create more than 100 jobs in the next 5 years.

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 Gajewski | Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector. 

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