Chicago Construction News staff writer
AbbVie last week announced plans to invest $380 million to build two new active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities at its North Chicago campus. The facilities will integrate advanced manufacturing technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to support production of next-generation neuroscience and obesity medications.
Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026, with both facilities expected to be completed by 2029. AbbVie plans to hire 300 workers for the project, including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and lab technicians.
“This milestone demonstrates further progress against our $100 billion commitment to U.S. R&D and capital investments over the next decade,” said Robert A. Michael. “By strengthening our U.S. manufacturing capabilities, we are well-positioned to support our investment in innovation and enhance our ability to deliver next-generation medicines to patients.”
API manufacturing is a complex, multi-step process producing the active components responsible for a medication’s therapeutic effects. AbbVie has announced several recent initiatives to expand its U.S. API capacity. In September 2025, the company broke ground on a chemical synthesis facility that will bring production for select neuroscience, immunology and oncology products back from Europe and Asia to the U.S.
With operations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, AbbVie employs about 29,000 people in the U.S., including more than 6,000 at manufacturing sites. The new investment further reinforces AbbVie’s long-term commitment to Illinois, where it is headquartered and employs more than 11,500 people.
