CSL Behring has officially broken ground on a $1.5 billion expansion of its manufacturing facility in Kankakee, marking another major investment in the company’s U.S. operations and its production of life-saving plasma-derived therapies.
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The new project will significantly increase the company’s manufacturing capacity for treatments used to address rare and serious diseases. According to the company, the expanded facility is expected to be fully operational by 2031.
The development also represents a significant economic boost for the region, with the project expected to generate approximately 800 construction and related jobs during development and at least 300 permanent pharmaceutical positions once the facility begins operations.
State leaders have also pledged financial support to secure the expansion in Illinois. J.B. Pritzker said state officials have offered more than $200 million in tax incentives as part of an agreement currently being finalized.
The facility expansion is part of CSL’s broader strategy to strengthen its manufacturing network and meet increasing global demand for plasma-based medicines.
The company has already invested more than $3 billion in its U.S. operations since 2018, creating over 6,500 jobs nationwide and bringing its total U.S. workforce to nearly 19,000 employees.
More than 1,200 full-time employees currently work at the Kankakee site, and CSL confirmed that all existing positions will be retained as the project moves forward.
“As the need for plasma-derived therapies continues to grow in the U.S. and globally, expanding our Kankakee site further strengthens this key hub in our supply network,” said Gordon Naylor.
The expansion will also incorporate the company’s Horizon 2 manufacturing process, a proprietary system designed to produce significantly higher quantities of immunoglobulin therapies from the same amount of plasma.
Once completed, the expanded facility will support production of two of CSL’s key immunoglobulin therapies: Privigen and Hizentra.
These treatments are commonly used to help patients suffering from rare immune system disorders and other serious health conditions.
Plasma-derived therapies rely on proteins extracted from human plasma, the liquid portion of blood that carries essential proteins needed for critical bodily functions such as immune defense and blood clotting.
When certain proteins are missing or malfunctioning, patients can develop serious health complications that require ongoing treatment.
Plasma-derived medicines are used to treat several rare diseases, including:
Although each condition affects relatively small patient populations individually, together they impact thousands of people worldwide who rely on plasma therapies for long-term care.
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In addition to treating rare disorders, plasma-based treatments are also widely used in emergency medicine. Hospitals use them to manage life-threatening situations such as severe trauma, burns, shock and certain maternal health emergencies like postpartum hemorrhage.
Industry analysts say CSL’s latest investment highlights the growing importance of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in the United States.
Biopharmaceutical companies have increasingly expanded production facilities to improve supply chain resilience and meet rising demand for advanced therapies.
The Illinois expansion is expected to strengthen CSL’s ability to supply plasma-derived medicines globally while reinforcing the Kankakee campus as one of the company’s key production hubs.
As construction progresses, the project will also provide a substantial boost to regional construction activity and specialized pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure.
Originally reported by Jeffrey Kinney, Editor in Construction Dive.
