New high-tech production facility strengthens manufacturing in the Netherlands
The American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is putting the Netherlands on the international map with an investment of €2.6 billion in a brand-new high-tech medicine factory in Katwijk (South Holland).
The plant will strengthen the European supply of medicines, create hundreds of new jobs and give a powerful boost to the Dutch manufacturing industry.
Production giant chooses Leiden Bio Science Park
The factory will be built at the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest life sciences innovation cluster in the Netherlands.
The facility will be equipped with the latest technologies for the production of oral medicines in the fields of diabetes, obesity, cancer, neurological disorders and immunology.
“With this investment, we are expanding our global production capacity and moving closer to European patients,”
says David A. Ricks, CEO of Eli Lilly.
“The Netherlands offers a unique ecosystem of knowledge, infrastructure and talent.”
Employment: hundreds of permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs
The new production site will deliver 500 permanent jobs for engineers, operators, lab technicians and scientists.
During the construction phase, which starts in 2025, another 1,500 temporary jobs will be created in the construction and engineering sectors.
According to Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans, this is a historic step for Dutch industry:
“This is not just a factory – it is an engine for innovation, collaboration and high-quality employment.”
Smart production and sustainability at the core
The factory in Katwijk will be a showcase of sustainable pharmaceutical production.
Lilly aims to make the site CO₂-neutral and to generate 15% of its energy itself through solar and wind power.
Waste streams will be reused or recycled, significantly reducing the ecological footprint.
“We are not just building a factory, but a blueprint for the future of medicine production,”
says Edgardo Hernandez, President of Lilly Manufacturing Operations.
Read more about sustainable innovations in industry in Trends in Manufacturing.
Opportunities for the Dutch Manufacturing Industry
The €2.6 billion investment creates enormous demand for Dutch suppliers in mechanical engineering, cleanroom technology, installation, HVAC and industrial automation.
Companies in South Holland and North Brabant in particular stand to benefit from long-term partnerships with the pharmaceutical giant.
Companies active in industrial automation
and metalworking
play a key role in realising this ultramodern production site.
Europe in the Spotlight
With the Katwijk site, Lilly is further expanding its European network — alongside factories in France, Ireland, Italy and Spain.
The Netherlands thus joins a select group of countries with a “next-generation” production site.
“Demand for our medicines is growing faster than ever,” says Ricks.
“With this factory, we ensure that patients in Europe gain faster access to innovative treatments.”
Read more about how the Netherlands is developing into an innovation country on the Platform for Manufacturing.
Analysis: Katwijk as a new high-tech hotspot
The choice for Katwijk is strategic.
The proximity to Schiphol, the Port of Rotterdam and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in Amsterdam
makes the location ideal for European distribution.
The investment fits into a broader trend in which pharmaceutical companies are bringing production back to Europe
to increase supply security and chain control.
With Lilly's arrival, Katwijk is developing into a new high-tech hotspot,
comparable to the impact of ASML in Eindhoven or MSD in Oss.