Manufacturing

The University of Minnesota Duluth broke ground in July of 2017 on the $42 million Chemistry and Advanced Material Science Building (CAMS). Designed by BWBR, the 58,000-sf project will house technology-rich chemistry labs and classrooms, collaborative learning spaces, and the Advanced Materials Center, a facility supporting training programs in 3D printing and microelectronics. Faculty offices, student spaces, classrooms, and labs will be collocated on each floor of the building to promote interaction. Completion is expected in summer of 2019.

3M Co. is planning to construct a 272,000-sf campus in Austin, Texas. Designed by STG Design and developed by Trammell Crow, the state-of-the-art facility will replace operations currently located in northeast Austin. Sited in the Parmer business park, the project will accommodate approximately 800 employees engaged in R&D, supply chain management, and marketing. Construction will begin on the facility by late 2017 with completion expected by April of 2019. 

Metropolitan State University of Denver opened the $60 million Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building in June of 2017. Featuring collaborative learning spaces, technology-rich labs, and a public-private enterprise center, the 117,000-sf facility will support an interdisciplinary curriculum integrating aerospace science, industrial design, computer science, information technology, and civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is planning to build a $75 million additive manufacturing research center in East Hartford, Conn. The 185,000-sf facility will support the creation of advanced components for the aerospace industry using 3D printing technologies. A $40 million engine compressor research building will also be constructed. Additionally, UTC opened a $60 million, 185,000-sf innovation hub in May of 2017, for which LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought.

The University of New Brunswick opened the Marine Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in May of 2017 in Fredericton. Supported by $2.7 million in funding from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the $5 million facility is Canada’s first 3D metal printing research center for the marine and defense industries. Created in partnership with Custom Fabricators and Machinists (CFM) and community colleges in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the project will also accommodate training and workforce development programs.  

Versum Materials broke ground in May of 2017 on a research and development laboratory in Hometown, Pa. Part of a $20 million expansion of Versum’s chemical manufacturing campus, the project will support the synthesis and purification of molecules to enable the production of organometallic compounds used by the semiconductor industry. The lab will accommodate approximately 30 employees and is expected to open in late 2019.

Merck and Stelis Biopharma opened a joint bioprocess scale-up lab in May of 2017 in Bengaluru, India. Located in the Jigani industrial park, the facility will provide end-to-end solutions from process development to scale-up manufacturing for pre-clinical, clinical, and commercial supply of biological APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients). A cGMP manufacturing plant featuring Merck's portfolio of Mobius® bioprocessing equipment is also under construction at the site. 

Toyota Motor Corp. opened the $154 million North American R&D Purchasing and Prototype Development Center in May of 2017 in York Township, Mich. Representing an expansion of the Toyota Technical Center, the project provides a vehicle prototype development facility, a distribution hub, and an addition to the existing powertrain research center. LEED Platinum sustainable design certification is being sought for the facility, which features a highly efficient building envelope, LED lighting, and low-flow water fixtures. Ground was broken on the project in June of 2015.

Cody Laboratories began construction in April of 2017 on a $50 million pharmaceutical production plant in Cody, Wyo. Sited on 21 acres, the 43,000-sf facility will manufacture prescription drugs. Completion is expected in late 2018.

The $75 million Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center opened in April of 2017 in Kissimmee. Created by the University of Central Florida in collaboration with Osceola County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the 109,000-sf facility houses the world’s first industry-led smart sensor consortium.

Ford Motor Company is expanding and renovating its research and manufacturing facilities in Michigan. Construction will begin in mid-2017 on a $200 million data center in Romeo. In 2018, a truck and SUV production facility in Wayne will be retooled at a cost of $850 million. Ford will also invest $150 million to expand its Wayne engine manufacturing plant. 

Veterinary pharmaceutical firm HIPRA is planning to begin construction in mid-2017 on its North American headquarters in Mantua Township, N.J. Located on 25 acres in the South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University, the 375,000-sf facility will house research and development labs for the creation of animal health vaccines. The $100 million project will be developed in several phases and will include manufacturing, distribution, and warehouse space. HIPRA is based in Girona, Spain. 

Samsung Biologics is constructing a 1.3 million-sf pharmaceutical production facility in the Songo International Business District in Incheon, South Korea. Accommodating twelve 15-liter bioreactors, the five-story facility will be the world’s largest biologics manufacturing plant when it opens in 2018. Ground was broken on the project in November of 2015.

Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex began construction in spring of 2017 on a $184 million research and advanced manufacturing center in Miramar, Fla. The facility will house the firm’s U.S. headquarters as well as accommodating R&D, production, and packaging operations. Completion is expected in early 2019.

California State University, Dominguez Hills is partnering with the Toyota USA Foundation to build the Toyota Center for Innovation in STEM Education in Carson. Designed by HGA Architects with RFD (Research Facilities Design) as laboratory design consultant, the 87,000-sf facility will include a fabrication lab, SMART classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and labs for K-12 teacher training and demonstrations.