Manufacturing

Thermo Fisher Scientific opened a $90 million viral vector facility in December of 2019 in Lexington, Mass. Featuring specialized GMP laboratories, the 50,000-sf project will accommodate the development, testing, and manufacture of viral vectors for the creation of gene and cell therapies. The center will act as a CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) site and will offer services including from drug development through clinical trials and commercial production.

AZI is constructing an 85,000-sf isoptope production and research facility in Bunker Hill, Ind. The $44.5 million project includes the expansion of a 55,000-sf shell building by 30,000 sf to accommodate a 280,000-pound 70MeV cyclotron. The existing structure was purchased at a cost of $2.8 million. AZI (Arizona Isotopes Science Research Corp.) is based in Phoenix and supplies medical isotopes to companies and institutions worldwide. The facility is strategically sited near the Grissom Aeroplex, a public and military airport with a 12,500-sf runway.

Amazon is planning to construct a $40 million robotics innovation hub in Westborough, Mass. The 350,000-sf facility will enable teams of researchers, engineers, and technicians to design, build, program, and test robots, including self-driving units for order fulfillment and warehouse management. The project will house R&D labs, manufacturing space, corporate offices, and a distribution center. Completion is expected in 2021.

WuXi Biologics is planning to expand its pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Dundalk, Ireland. A three-story, 110,600-sf vaccine production plant will leverage single-use technologies and processes to optimize efficiency and scalability. A four-story, 62,000-sf facility housing laboratories and administrative offices will also be constructed. The project represents the second phase of development at the site, where WuXi is currently building a $365 million, 522,000-sf manufacturing center that will begin commercial operation in 2022.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is joining a growing wave of pharmaceutical research facilities that are incorporating small-scale manufacturing into their spaces. Fitting the manufacturing suites into an underground floor of an existing building was a challenge for architect, engineer, and scientist alike. The suites are designed to produce clinical vectors, important “vehicles” to which drug companies “attach” treatments so that those treatments reach the right location in a patient’s body.

Great Ormond Street Hospital opened the £42 million Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children in October of 2019 in London. Developed in partnership with University College London, the 140,000-sf translational research facility collocates biomedical laboratories, GMP manufacturing suites, clinical spaces, and offices to enable the creation of innovative medical devices and personalized gene and cell therapies.

Visteon, a leading producer of digital automotive cockpit electronics, opened the Visteon Querétaro Technical Center in October of 2019 in Mexico. The 64,583-sf facility includes two floors of collaborative workspaces where engineers will develop advanced cockpit electronics products including instrument clusters, infotainment and information displays, and new technologies for connected and autonomous driving. Accommodating up to 600 employees, the center offers four stories of underground parking, a gym, an outdoor terrace, and a cafeteria. 

Janssen Sciences Ireland, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, began constructing a $355 million, 206,000-sf pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in October of 2017 in Ringaskiddy. Existing facilities accommodating administration, logistics, and warehousing will also be expanded. Completion is expected in late 2019. 

Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing (GRAM) is constructing a $60 million facility in Grand Rapids, Mich. Designed by CRB, the 61,500-sf facility will include a state-of-the-art cleanroom, two formulation suites, and 14,000 sf of shell space to accommodate future growth. Capable of producing a wide range of commercial batch sizes, the aseptic manufacturing plant will integrate leading-edge automation technologies and high-speed instrumentation to support the production of parenteral medicinal solutions.

Foxconn Industrial Internet will begin construction in fall of 2019 on the 261,600-sf Smart Manufacturing Center in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Accommodating up to 500 employees at full capacity, the facility will support the production of components for computer server racks with integrated manufacturing space, warehouse areas, and a 40,000-sf office mezzanine. The Smart Manufacturing Center was designed by Eppstein Uhen Architects and will be built by Mortenson Construction. Completion is expected by summer of 2020.

Beacon Pharmaceuticals is planning to break ground by early 2020 on a 150,000-sf biosciences accelerator and headquarters facility in Jupiter, Fla. Designed by Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design, the $80 million facility will feature a pharmaceutical business incubator to support early-stage companies from concept to commercialization.

Hyundai Construction Equipment began building the $64 million Reliability Assessment Center in September of 2019 in Yongin, South Korea. Located on a 430,550-sf site at the Mabuk-ri Research Institute in the Gyeonggi Province, the technology-rich facility will feature advanced measurement suites, simulators, and a large laboratory for the testing of equipment in temperatures ranging from 176°F to minus-40°F. The project will include research space for sustainable product development and the creation of innovative noise reduction technologies.

Ford Motor Company is planning a comprehensive redevelopment of its research campus in Dearborn, Mich. Designed by Snøhetta to promote collaboration and innovation, the master plan for the Research & Engineering Center will create an integrated network of empowered workplaces, state-of-the-art labs, advanced production facilities, and inspiring meeting spaces. By significantly increasing building density, Ford will be able accommodate over 20,000 employees at the site and consolidate other Michigan locations.

Nanotronics began construction in September of 2019 on a 25,000-sf facility at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Featuring leading-edge manufacturing systems, the $11 million project will accommodate the research, development, and production of advanced imaging systems that combine robotics, optical microscopy, artificial intelligence, and machine learning platforms.

ABB began construction in September of 2019 on a $150 million robotics hub in the Kangqiao district of Shanghai. Featuring advanced technologies for automated and digital manufacturing, the highly flexible facility will include an integrated R&D center to accelerate innovation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Supporting direct collaboration with customers, the center will leverage sophisticated machine learning strategies to enable robots to construct automated and robotic systems tailored to specific client needs.