Octapharma to invest $1.5B in York County facility

A Swiss company plans to join the small club of billion-dollar industrialists to announce operations in the Palmetto State.

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, final approvals have been made for Octapharma‘s first U.S. manufacturing and production facility in York County. The $1.5 billion investment is projected to bring more than 1,500 jobs to Rock Hill.

The Commerce Department said the announcement marks a significant milestone as the biopharmaceutical manufacturer moves forward with establishing operations that strengthen the state’s rapidly growing life sciences industry.

The deal includes a $65 million state grant through the Commerce Department.

Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma has more than 40 manufacturing and office sites worldwide, with production facilities in Austria, France, Germany and Sweden, according to a news release.

“South Carolina’s talented workforce and strong life sciences ecosystem made it clear this was the right home for our first U.S. manufacturing facility, and we’re grateful to Gov. (Henry) McMaster, the Department of Commerce, York County and the city of Rock Hill for welcoming us to the Palmetto State,” Octapharma USA President Flemming Nielsen said in the news release. “This is just the beginning of a long partnership with Rock Hill and York County, one that will strengthen America’s domestic supply of life-saving, plasma-based therapies for patients, hospitals and those who serve our country.”

The company, which was founded in 1983, develops and produces medicines based on proteins derived from human cell lines and human plasma.

This new facility will be located in Rock Hill’s Palmetto Research Park and include an administrative campus for Octapharma’s plasma donation operations.

“Working with the S.C. Department of Commerce, SCbio and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, we pursued a development strategy designed to deliver lasting value for our residents, businesses, educational institutions and public-sector partners,” Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said in the release. “Octapharma is exactly that kind of investment, creating high-quality jobs across all education levels for generations to come. We are honored to welcome Octapharma to Rock Hill.”

Operations are expected to commence in the mid-2030s. Individuals interested in joining the Octapharma team can visit the company’s careers page to learn more.

“Octapharma’s decision to establish its new corporate offices and advanced manufacturing operations in York County is an investment in our community’s future,” York County Council Chairwoman Christi Cox said in the release. “This transformational project will bring more than 1,500 high-quality jobs, strengthen South Carolina’s growing life sciences industry and generate lasting economic opportunities for our residents. We are proud to welcome Octapharma and look forward to the company’s long-term success in York County.”

The Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project. The council also awarded a $65 million Closing Fund grant to York County to assist with the costs of site preparation, building construction and road improvements.

“As Octapharma’s historic $1.5 billion investment in York County officially moves forward, South Carolina is proud to support its expanding U.S. presence,” Commerce Secretary Harry M. Lightsey III said in the release. “This landmark project underscores why global companies choose the Palmetto State to manufacture, innovate and establish corporate operations — further advancing our burgeoning life sciences industry.”

Gov. McMaster said in the release: “We are proud to celebrate this partnership with a global leader in biopharmaceutical manufacturing that will further strengthen our state’s position as a destination for companies looking to invest and succeed.”