Lilly to spend $180M doubling size of Indy plant

Eli Lilly and Co. plans to double the size of a manufacturing plant already under construction southwest of downtown Indianapolis, investing another $180 million on insulin production and related products.

The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant announced in November that it would spend $140 million to construct an 80,000-square-foot plant for filling cartridges for insulin-injecting pens. Construction is already under way for the plant on South Harding Street, adjoining Lilly’s existing manufacturing complex known as Lilly Technology Center.

The new $180 million investment would add another 84,000 square feet to the project, allowing Lilly to add another cartridge-filling line, the firm announced Tuesday. The space also would be used to increase Lilly’s manufacturing capacity for the active ingredient in insulin.

About 175 workers will staff the plant once it’s in full operation. The jobs will be filled by a combination of existing and new employees, according to Lilly spokesman Ed Sagebiel.

In addition, Lilly is planning several other projects for its Indianapolis operations totaling about $80 million, including a $40 million product-inspection center.

The firm has submitted a request to city officials for a tax abatement on the full $400 million investment, between the two phases of the new plant and ancillary projects, Sagebiel said. Lilly’s request calls for a 10-year abatement that would save the firm about $30 million.

“We believe that Indianapolis is a good place for this, as we will continue to benefit from the engaged, committed and highly skilled work force we have in this city,” said Myles O’Neill, senior vice president of global parenteral drug product and delivery services, in a prepared statement.

Construction of the production area for insulin’s active ingredient could be complete by December and in operation by March 2014, according to the company. Work on the additional cartridge filling line could be finished by 2016.