Eli Lilly and Company is making the largest investment in Lehigh Valley history and biggest life sciences investment ever in Pennsylvania. The world’s largest pharmaceutical maker recently announced it will build a $3.5 billion manufacturing campus to produce weight-loss medications. The investment will create 850 permanent jobs and 2,000 construction jobs, with the potential to spark $14 billion in related spending into the community. 
One of the reasons Lilly chose the Lehigh Valley over more than 300 other regions is because Lehigh Valley has a heritage of innovation and of technical manufacturing, with the infrastructure to support it.
When announcing the investment on Jan. 30, Lilly CEO David Ricks said it was important for Lilly to be “involved in a growing industry in life sciences and life sciences manufacturing.” He said the Lehigh Valley has an “ecosystem around us that really supports what we do.”
Here’s a look at Lehigh Valley’s life sciences ecosystem, which as a Fortune 100 company, Lilly will elevate into a new chapter of the region’s long manufacturing story.
Growth
There are more than 180 life sciences business establishments in the Lehigh Valley - manufacturing facilities, labs, research centers, offices, and distribution centers - that employ about 5,800 people.
Since 2020, life sciences companies in the region have added more than 2.5M square feet of new space. Employment in Lehigh Valley’s life sciences companies has grown by about 35% over the last decade.
Strategic Location
The Lehigh Valley is conveniently located in the life sciences belt between Boston and Philadelphia. One-third of U.S. consumers can be reached within a day’s drive. The region is home to an international airport that is expanding its cargo operations, with access to nearby international airports and ports.
Global Brands
Lehigh Valley touts a growing concentration of life sciences companies, including the U.S. headquarters of B. Braun and Olympus, and operations of ThermoFisher Scientific, Sharp, Piramal Critical Care, and OraSure Technologies, among others.
Pipeline of Talent
Lehigh Valley’s 11 colleges and universities graduate 10,000 students annually. Another 1,000 students annually complete studies at the region’s three career and technical schools.
To help meet Lilly’s need for talent, Lehigh Carbon Community College received state funding to create and expand academic and workforce training programs in life sciences. This includes updating science programs customized for biotechnology and advanced manufacturing careers and adding specialized equipment utilized in pharmaceutical operations.
There is a labor force of 1.8 million within a one-hour drive from the Lehigh Valley.
Family-sustaining Careers
The average annual wage for the life sciences industry in the Lehigh Valley is more than $114,000. That’s about 70% more than the regional average annual wage.
(Photos by Eli Lilly and Company and Rick Kintzel)