With $3 billion in facility-specific investment and potentially more than 500 permanent operating jobs announced, this project clears both of AFT's qualifying thresholds ($100 million in facility-specific investment OR 100 permanent operating jobs). It is also confirmed by official public sources and involves a physical manufacturing facility in the United States.
View full methodology →The pharmaceuticals context.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers are committing billions to new U.S. production capacity for active ingredients, injectable medicines, biologics and other high-demand treatments. North Carolina and Indiana remain major centers of investment, while new facilities are being planned across the South. The current project pipeline includes both large greenfield campuses and major expansions of established production sites.
At a glance
- Company
- Merck
- Industry
- Pharmaceuticals
- Location
- Elkton, Virginia
- Investment
- $3.00B
- Permanent jobs announced
- Potentially more than 500
- Status
- Under Construction
- Announced
- Oct 20, 2025
- Opening timeline
- Not yet announced
- Added to tracker
- Sep 1, 2026
Official references
- Merck's October 20, 2025 Elkton groundbreaking announcement https://www.merck.com/news/merck-breaks-ground-on-3-billion-center-of-excellence-for-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-in-elkton-virginia/
Cite this project
American Factory Tracker. "Elkton Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing — Merck, Elkton, VA." https://americanfactorytracker.com/projects/merck-elkton-center-of-excellence. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Please also cite the original sources listed above for underlying figures.