Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB says it plans to invest $5bn in a US factory to avoid President Trump’s tariffs on the EU.
It makes drugs to treat diseases of the central nervous system.
It hasn’t decided where to build the factory, saying it would look for somewhere with “a strong talent pipeline” to recruit around 300 staff.
Jacques Marbehant, head of transformational programmes at UCB, said the factory would scale up UCB’s contract-manufacturing network in the US and that it reflected its “deep commitment to the US”.
Setting up in the US soil would also help the company future-proof against possible rises in import tariffs.
In recent months, European pharma companies such as Novartis and Roche have announced investments in the US.
In Europe, UCB produces medicines in Bulle, Switzerland and has recently opened a production and research facility in Eignebrakel, Wallonia.
One of UCB’s best selling products is Cimzia, which is used to treat conditions such as Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of rheumatism. The company employs around 9,000 worldwide and this year it expects to make €6.7bn sales at a 30% margin.
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