ON THE HUNT FOR EXPANDED OPERATIONS
Out of 300 applications to land Eli Lilly and Company’s latest pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, the company has officially selected Huntsville, Alabama for its new project investment. Last week, it was announced that Eli Lilly will invest over $6 billion to construct a synthetic medicine active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) plant, focusing on small molecule synthetic and peptide medicines. The selection of the new Greenbrier South site will position the facility in proximity to the city’s growing bioscience campus, the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. “Huntsville’s track record of science and innovation, supported by advanced manufacturing expertise and a skilled workforce, makes Alabama an ideal location for Lilly to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for next‑generation medicines,” said Eli Lilly Chair and CEO David Ricks. The new facility will head into construction next year and is anticipated to be operational by 2032, creating 450 direct jobs.
A TEXAS CREW BASE REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
Last week, Southwest Airlines announced a significant expansion of its workforce base at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The initiative aims to hire 2,000 additional pilots and flight attendant crew at the airport by mid-2027, in addition to management and support staff roles. “This investment demonstrates our commitment to Austin and to our customers,” said Southwest Airlines President, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board Bob Jordan. “As the largest carrier at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, we appreciate the vision of Governor Abbott and Mayor Watson in clearing the way for Austin to become an even bigger part of our future.” This expansion will also include the construction of a station Command Center and a new training facility for flight attendants. The project will be supported by a $14 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant and a potential $375,000 Veteran Created Job Bonus.
Photo courtesy of QTS
MILESTONE REACHED IN ENGLAND
Data center developer QTS announced last week that its planned UK data center in the village of Cambois celebrated the start of enabling works for the project’s development. The site, a former Britishvolt power station located in Northumberland, recently received AI Growth Zone designation following the secured enabling works approval from the Northumberland County Council in August 2025. The $13.2 billion project will introduce up to 10 facilities at the site and support 720-megawatts of critical IT load. “QTS is thrilled to have officially started work on the site of our data center campus. While this is the first step in a long journey, it is a visible milestone of progress made possible by the support of the local community and Northumberland County Council,” said QTS Co-CEO Tag Greason. “We want to have a lasting positive impact on the North East, which is why we’ve announced our commitment to create more than a thousand new jobs – boosting the skills of hundreds of local people in the coming years.” In addition to over a thousand new jobs, QTS plans to create the opportunity for talent to pursue its offering of over 100 apprenticeships, 150 paid internships and more than 200 work placements to gain hands-on experience and introduce new career pathways in the region.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
