Biopharmaceutical company UCB is constructing a new biologics manufacturing facility in Gwinnett County, Georgia, US, for the commercial-scale production of the company’s recently approved products and future pipeline biologic therapies.
The project is UCB’s first US biologics manufacturing facility and is intended to function as a key element of the company’s global biologics manufacturing network and a hub for the company’s US-based manufacturing capabilities.
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The new facility in Georgia will support UCB’s long-term growth plan in the US, which has been driven by disciplined delivery, extended patent cover and sustained funding for distinctive innovation. It also highlights the company’s intention to expand capacity in anticipation of future needs, while preserving the agility to respond to changing global conditions.
Announced in March 2026, the project involves an estimated investment of $2bn and represents the largest capital commitment in Gwinnett County’s history.
Design and construction phases of the project are expected to require six to seven years.
The new facility is expected to have a total economic impact of approximately $5bn. It is also expected to generate more than 1,000 construction jobs and over 330 permanent full-time positions, with an average annual salary of more than $72,000 once operations begin.
Location
The UCB biologics manufacturing facility is being developed on a 79-acre (31.97-hectare) wooded site within the Rowen knowledge community off Rowen Parkway in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
Rowen is a planned 2,000-acre knowledge community along Georgia’s Highway 316 corridor in the Atlanta metropolitan area, between Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. It is intended to bring together research institutions, global companies, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals.
The site provides a scalable location set within a master-planned innovation district, supported by strong access to infrastructure. It also benefits from streamlined permitting processes and offers the chance to engage with an expanding ecosystem for life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
The location provides access to a large and growing talent pool in science, engineering and a rapidly expanding labour force to support high-specification manufacturing operations.
Initial infrastructure works on the knowledge community commenced following an investment of nearly $70m by the Development Authority of Gwinnett County in 2020, supporting land acquisition and early-stage infrastructure for the project.
UCB biologics manufacturing facility details
The new UCB biologics manufacturing campus will cover approximately 460,000ft² (42,735.4m2).
The facility will adopt a digital-first approach incorporating AI, robotics and advanced automation, with an emphasis on efficient use of natural resources.
The facility will represent the entire breadth of UCB’s end-to-end patient value chain in the US, spanning research and development through to commercialisation and manufacturing.
Once operational, the site is expected to run large-scale, continuous production of complex biologics, primarily for supply to the US market.
Incentives and partnerships
Gwinnett County has approved an incentive package valued at more than $174m, including property tax abatements, fee waivers and infrastructure spending in support of the development.
The project is being delivered in coordination with the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Global Commerce team, the Georgia Governor’s Office, Georgia Power, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Partnership Gwinnett and the Rowen Foundation.
Contractors involved
Colliers, a professional services and investment management company, supported UCB in identifying the location for the new biologics manufacturing facility.
Colliers’ site selection team managed the location strategy, site evaluation, incentive negotiations and real estate brokerage, using the company’s proprietary analytics platform. The process involved an extensive assessment covering 12 states and more than 1,200 counties.
Marketing commentary on UCB
UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Belgium, specialises in the discovery and development of novel treatments for patients affected by serious neurological and autoimmune diseases.
The company operates advanced facilities comprising three strategically located research hubs, three satellite research units, four manufacturing plants and seven development centres.
This global footprint spans six countries: Braine-L’Alleud and Leuven, Belgium; Shanghai, China; Monheim, Germany; Tokyo and Saitama, Japan; Bulle, Switzerland; Slough, UK; and Boston, Durham and Seattle, US. It supports a research workforce of more than 1,700 specialists.
UCB has operated in the US since the 1930s and established its US headquarters in Atlanta in 1993. The Atlanta site now functions as a central hub for the company’s commercial, research and corporate activities in the country.
The company generated €7.74bn ($9.1bn) in 2025 and reached more than 3.1 million patients. This growth was driven by the core medicines BIMZELX®, ZILBRYSQ®, FINTEPLA® and EVENITY®.
