Bayer to invest $2.2 billion in new manufacturing site in Ohio
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined Bayer and JobsOhio Friday to announce Bayer’s plans to invest $2.2 billion in a new pharmaceutical manufacturing site in New Albany, Ohio.
Bayer is expected to create around 600 high-value jobs in the New Albany International Business Park and roughly 1,500 construction jobs during the facility’s construction.
“Bayer is a globally respected life sciences company that could have chosen to build this new facility anywhere in the United States — and it chose Ohio,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “This project firmly solidifies Ohio’s place among global biomanufacturing leaders as a destination for life sciences investment.”
Building on more than $7 billion in U.S. pharma R&D and manufacturing spending over the past five years, the project is a central element of Bayer’s long-term growth strategy and commitment to innovation and patient access in its largest pharmaceuticals market.
“Bayer has long seen the United States as a key manufacturing base and innovation hub. This landmark investment underscores our commitment,” said Bayer CEO Bill Anderson. “The new site will be home to manufacturing expertise and a skilled workforce that will strengthen our ability to deliver innovative, high-quality medicines to patients both in the United States and abroad.”
The flexible, modular campus will be designed to combine drug substance and drug product manufacturing, leverage advanced digital and automation technologies, and support Bayer’s growing portfolio in oncology, cardiovascular and renal care. By building in Ohio, Bayer strengthens the reliability of America’s medicine supply.
“Bayer’s $2.2 billion investment is a direct result of Ohio’s commitment to innovation and infrastructure and creating the environment for businesses to succeed,” said Senator Bernie Moreno. “We beat out many other states for this project. When completed, it could employ around 600 people making medicine here. Ohio keeps proving it is the best place in America to do business, and this does not happen without strong leadership.”
The first module, dedicated to drug substance manufacturing, is expected to become operational in 2031. A second module for drug product manufacturing is planned to follow in 2034. The new site will complement Bayer’s U.S. pharmaceuticals headquarters in Whippany, N.J., and its other sites in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Berkeley, Calif.; Cambridge, Mass.; Research Triangle Park, N.C.; and San Diego, Calif.
Bayer’s planned investment in a flexible, modular pharmaceutical manufacturing campus marks a major step forward for the state’s growing biomanufacturing industry and reinforces the Columbus Region’s critical mass in life sciences and biomanufacturing.
Workforce readiness was central to Ohio's appeal. Bayer will draw on the Ohio Life Science Training Center, under construction and scheduled to open in summer 2027, to train Ohioans to work as biomanufacturing operators and technicians. JobsOhio is investing up to $30 million in the center, alongside nearly $8 million from the City of New Albany, the State of Ohio and The New Albany Company, as part of a strategy that makes life sciences an economic development priority for the state.
“Bayer didn't just choose a site. It chose a workforce,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “The Ohio Life Science Training Center exists to prepare Ohioans for careers in STEM, and it's already paying off. Together, JobsOhio, Ohio Life Sciences, the City of New Albany and Columbus State are building the talent pipeline that will ensure the future of medicine is built in Ohio.”
Best-in-class infrastructure and shovel-ready sites are among the reasons CNBC named Ohio the No. 1 state for business in 2026. Two decades of master planning in New Albany to ensure access to power, water, and infrastructure allow projects like this move quickly. Bayer joins a growing life sciences cluster in the New Albany International Business Park that includes Amgen, Hims & Hers, American Regent and Pharmavite.
These companies benefit from operating inside the Ohio Discovery Corridor — which connects nine world-class medical and research facilities and leading academic institutions — providing access to 39,000 annual STEM graduates, a $1B annual NIH-funded research engine and collaborative partnerships that drive groundbreaking research and innovation.
“Bayer’s investment builds upon the momentum we are creating both locally and statewide, including the recently announced Ohio Life Science Training Center. The New Albany International Business Park will be home to the $35 million, state-of-the-art biomanufacturing training facility, the first of its kind in Ohio,” said New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding. “Together, these investments are creating high-value career opportunities and building the workforce needed to support the continued growth of this important industry.”
The new Bayer facility will also form part of a new U.S.-based collaboration ecosystem. The ambition is to connect cutting-edge academic innovation with advanced manufacturing expertise to create a strong ecosystem that supports future-ready pharmaceutical production.
“Bayer’s decision is a powerful statement about the Columbus Region’s growing position as a global center for life sciences,” said Jonas Peterson, chief economic development officer and president of One Columbus. “Our location provides exceptional access to major North American markets, while our talent has the depth to support the sophisticated work driving the future of medicine. Bayer is joining a region with real momentum in life sciences, and the capacity and ambition to lead what comes next.”
The Bayer project will pursue a Job Creation Tax Credit from the Ohio Department of Development at a future Tax Credit Authority meeting. The company also plans to pursue JobsOhio assistance for the project, which would be made public after a final agreement is executed.