From solid rocket motors to pharmaceuticals, here are five recent groundbreaking projects expanding U.S. manufacturing capacity.

Genentech

Biotechnology company Genentech recently began construction on an expansion of its Hillsboro, Oregon, manufacturing facility. The $750 million expansion will add device fill-finish capabilities and support the manufacturing of medicines across oncology, neurology and immunology.

“Breaking ground in Hillsboro turns our commitment into action. For 20 years, the talented team here has played an important role in manufacturing and delivering medicines for patients, and this expansion builds on that strong foundation,” says Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee. “As construction begins, we are one step closer to bringing device fill-finish manufacturing to Hillsboro, strengthening our domestic supply chain and investing in the people and infrastructure that will help us deliver the medicines of the future.”

The expansion will add 211,000 square feet, which will double the size of the existing site. The project is expected to create 250 manufacturing jobs, and commercial operations are set to begin in 2031.

U.S. Steel

On Sept. 21, U.S. Steel celebrated the groundbreaking of a new Quench and Tempering facility at its Fairfield Tubular Operations in Alabama. Construction on the $475 million facility is underway and is expected to be completed in 2029.

“This investment is about building capability, creating opportunity, and strengthening American manufacturing,” says U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt. “The new Quench and Temper Line will allow us to produce more of the high-performance tubular products our customers need while creating good-paying jobs here in Fairfield.”

The project is slated to create 250 permanent jobs, including approximately 220 union-represented jobs, and support up to 600 construction jobs.

Lonza

On Sept. 14, the contract development and manufacturing organization Lonza commemorated the groundbreaking for its new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Bend, Oregon. The plant will focus on spray-drying, a technology that improves how medicines are absorbed in the body.

“This investment expands our manufacturing capabilities, creates new jobs and strengthens our ability to support customers developing the next generation of medicines,” says Lonza Bend Site Head Kathy Schwiebert.

The plant is expected to be completed in 2029 and is slated to create over 80 new jobs.

Avio USA

On Sept. 29, Avio USA broke ground on its first U.S. manufacturing plant. Located in Hurt, Virginia, the 900,000-square-foot facility will make solid rocket motors and is expected to create around 1,500 technical jobs. The project represents an investment of over $500 million, according to Governor Abigail Spanberger.

“Avio USA is building more than a manufacturing facility in Virginia. We are building an American company and workforce that can bring Avio’s proven propulsion expertise to the U.S. defense market,” says Avio USA CEO James Syring. “Our goal is to be an independent, open-source merchant supplier, able to support multiple customers and programs and provide major defense primes with an additional source for this critical capability. That means more capacity, more competition and greater resilience in the American rocket motor supply chain.

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences in late August celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Chess biologics facility, part of a planned $32 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing, research and development through 2030. The facility, expected to be completed by 2029, is located at the company’s headquarters in Foster City, California, and will support the accelerated development of medicines from clinical development through commercial launch.