Redaccion
Lilly will strengthen its presence in Spain with an extraordinary investment of $175 million in its Alcobendas plant. The news was announced today by Edgardo Hernández, Executive Vice President and President of Lilly’s Global Manufacturing Operations, at an institutional event chaired by the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
The pharmaceutical company has chosen its Alcobendas plant to make the announcement, the second city in Spain in terms of business turnover and the city with the highest number of pharmaceutical companies in the North of Madrid, with a turnover of over 1.7 billion euros.
The regional president has endorsed the choice of our city, stating that «it boasts a high quality of life» and highlighting «the great effort made by the Alcobendas City Council to facilitate the licensing process for Lilly.» With this investment, Lilly will be able to expand its production space and create three high-speed lines based on artificial intelligence for the packaging of oral and injectable products, turning our municipality’s plant into a Global Excellence Center for Packaging. Additionally, «the expansion will generate 75 new high-value-added jobs such as robotics specialists, engineers, logisticians, or healthcare professionals.»
In addition to the President of the Community of Madrid, the event was attended by the Acting Mayor of Alcobendas, Marta Martín, the Minister of Economy of the Community of Madrid, Rocío Albert, and the Secretary of State for Industry, Rebeca Torró, among other authorities and guests who firsthand witnessed Lilly’s commitment to our country.
Marta Martín expressed gratitude for the trust Lilly has placed in Alcobendas since its establishment in the municipality in 1963, deciding to invest in Spain in cellular biology, medical research, and advanced biochemical laboratories. «Today, Lilly Spain has 1,100 employees in our city – she added – generating a turnover of 375 million euros and exporting medications for diabetes, obesity, oncology, and Alzheimer’s to 120 countries.» She also acknowledged that «thanks to companies like Lilly, Alcobendas is a global benchmark in the pharma sector.»
New Technologies for Product Packaging
With this new project, the US multinational, present in Spain since 1963, will enhance Lilly’s capabilities for the packaging of dry oral products and injectable devices through new technologies that include advanced data integrations and automated material flows in the production areas – packaging and packaging. This investment will create 75 new jobs, furthering its commitment to the development of the business fabric and scientific ecosystem of our country. Since 2020, Lilly has invested over $55 million globally in the construction, expansion, and acquisition of manufacturing facilities worldwide, including the recently announced project in Alcobendas.
The Alcobendas Production Plant
Lilly began its operations in our country in 1963 as a joint venture before becoming a subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company in 1996. The Lilly Alcobendas Production Plant (Madrid) is part of Lilly’s global manufacturing network, where quality and safety are essential pillars and hallmarks of the company. Since its inauguration in 1968, Lilly has carried out various reforms and expansions at its Alcobendas plant, transforming it into the place from which the company exports medications to over 120 countries worldwide.
In addition to its plant, Lilly has its R&D Center at the Alcobendas facilities, consisting of the Medical Chemistry Laboratory and the Biology Laboratory, in addition to its office building. Today, the workforce exceeds 1,200 employees, positioning Lilly at the top of the Great Place to Work ranking every year.
