Project Bulletin: May 20, 2024

Sanofi’s investments aim to position France to have full lifecycle production of essential medicines and vaccines.

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Pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced last week that it would be investing more than $1.1 billion in three of its sites in France. The largest amount will go toward constructing a new monoclonal antibody production facility on the company’s Vitry-sur-Seine site, located in the southeastern suburbs of Paris. This addition will double current production capacity and will create 350 new jobs in the region. Two hours northwest in Normandy, the company will invest $108 million at its Le Trait facility. This upgrade will allow for increased capacity for its Dupixent® brand, biologics formulation, filling, device assembly and packaging operations. Finally, Sanofi will put $10.8 million toward locating production of its type 1 diabetes biologic Tzield® in Lyon.

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan join Polar Semiconductor President and COO Surya Iyer in announcing the expansion project last week.

Photo courtesy of Office of Governor Tim Walz

With the support of $120 million from U.S. CHIPS and Science Act funding, a $75 million investment from the Minnesota Forward Fund and its own $525 million investment, Polar Semiconductor will soon expand its operations in Bloomington, Minnesota. The company is the first Minnesota CHIPS Coalition member to receive significant federal CHIPS funding, marking a signature moment for the two-year-old coalition, which brings together over 70 organizations focused on boosting the state’s role as a leader in the national semiconductor industry. The expansion will allow Polar to double its 200-millimeter semiconductor wafer production to 40,000 wafers per month. It will also include new automation and AI technologies throughout the facility, while creating 160 new jobs over the next two years.

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ICTSI says the new addition to the Bauan International port makes it the most efficiently connected maritime facility in Southern Luzon.

Photo courtesy of International Container Terminal Services

International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) has said it will deliver a new $800 million international cargo terminal in the Philippines by 2027, marking the largest private marine terminal investment in the country. The company will construct the terminal in the Municipality of Bauan, located in the Batangas province beginning next year. This work will introduce almost 3,000 feet (900 meters) of quay and eight ship-to-store cranes that have the capacity to handle over 2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) each year. Once complete, the Bauan port will become the second largest port in the country behind the company’s Manila International Container Terminal located just 75 miles north. This addition aims to boost economic growth in the Philippines, increase global trade opportunities and create new jobs in the region. ICTSI made this investment as part of it global growth strategy, which includes future investments worth $450 million in Africa, Asia and South America over the next few years.

Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore, edited by Adam Bruns