![Officials from Vetter and the local Des Plains, IL, government attend the groundbreaking ceremony of Vetter’s new clinical manufacturing site. [Vetter]](https://www.genengnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/picture1_l-1024x683.jpg)
Officials from Vetter and the local Des Plains, IL, government attend the groundbreaking ceremony of Vetter’s new clinical manufacturing site. [Vetter]
German CDMO Vetter held an official groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction on a clinical manufacturing site in Des Plaines, IL. The company has invested approximately $285 million in the new facility.
Upstream and ground preparation work on the premises started back in April. Vetter’s construction plans include a 160,000-sq-ft clinical production facility for aseptic manufacturing. The site will also feature new process areas for material preparation and compounding. Additional buildings will include supporting services like storage, laboratories, and offices. The site is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2029 with subsequent relocation plans of Vetter’s current clinical operations in Skokie.
![Bird’s-eye view of the current Vetter site in Des Plaines, where the clinical manufacturing facility will be built. [Vetter]](https://www.genengnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/facility-1024x682.jpg)
“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks another significant milestone within our continuing expansion plans,” said Udo U. Vetter, chairman of the company’s advisory board and member of the owner family. “The new site will not only demonstrate our enhanced clinical operations and manufacturing capabilities but will also expand our presence in the U.S. significantly. We want to express our deep gratitude for the warm hospitality of the Illinois Science + Technology Park since 2009, hosting and supporting our successful start of U.S. manufacturing operations. We are excited to now be able to officially kick off this ambitious project.”
“In the current economic climate, it is a positive sign to see an international company like Vetter making a significant investment to expand their footprint here in the Chicago suburbs,” added Andrew Goczkowski, mayor of Des Plaines. “This new facility will create high-quality jobs for our residents and bolster our local economy. We are excited to welcome Vetter as a valued member of our Des Plaines community.”
“Together with our clinical site in Rankweil, Austria, we will be able to meet the increasing development needs of our customers while reinforcing our industry position as a reliable partner for low-volume injectables of innovative drug candidates during the crucial early development phases, among others,” noted Henryk Badack, Vetter’s managing director.
The existing buildings in the Des Plaines area will be retained. With 19-acres the property also provides ample space for future expansion opportunities. These will depend on global market developments and customer demand, as well as additional investment projects currently underway at Vetter in Germany and Austria.
