Medical device manufacturer invests $110M to expand Nebraska plant, boost drug supply

By Tom Joyce
The Center Square

A major American medical device manufacturer is investing $110 million to expand production in Nebraska as part of an effort to restore pharmaceutical manufacturing and improve domestic supply chains.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) announced this week that it will expand its facility in Columbus, Nebraska, to increase production of prefillable syringes used in biologic drugs, including GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. The investment is expected to create about 120 new jobs, according to a press release from the company.

The expansion comes as the Trump administration has urged pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers to move production back to the United States, citing supply chain vulnerabilities exposed during the coronavirus pandemic and increased demand for various medications.

BD said the Nebraska investment is part of a bigger commitment to spend over $2.5 billion on U.S. manufacturing over the next five years.

“This is good news for Nebraska,” Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Nebraska, said in the release. “It has the potential to bring over 100 new jobs to our state. This investment further underscores BD’s ongoing commitment to keep critical manufacturing in states like Nebraska.”

The company plans to spend roughly $100 million to establish production of its BD Neopak glass prefillable syringe platform at the Columbus site. It expects production to start around the middle of this year. BD will use another $10 million to expand cannula manufacturing at the facility.

BD designed the syringes for injectable biologic drugs. They are compatible with autoinjectors used in both clinical and at-home settings. Demand for these delivery systems increased alongside the fast growth of GLP-1 medications used to treat diabetes and obesity.

“As demand for biologics and GLP-1s accelerates, BD is strengthening its American manufacturing footprint to support U.S.-based drug delivery innovation and supply chain resiliency,” Patrick Jeukenne, president of BD Pharmaceutical Systems, said in the release.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen praised the announcement. He said it will benefit the local economy.

“This is another perfect example of a company with global reach producing high value, cutting-edge products at its plant right here in Nebraska,” Pillen said.

BD said the Columbus facility has been a big part of its manufacturing network for over 75 years. The new expansion builds upon a previous $35 million investment announced last year to expand prefilled flush syringe production at the same site. That expansion added about 50 jobs.

The company said localizing production of drug delivery components will help improve reliability and speed to market as demand for its products increases.