Thermo Fisher Scientific announced it will build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mebane, N.C. The site is part of a recently announced co-investment with the U.S. government – a US $ 192.5 million contract in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure domestic supply of critically needed laboratory pipette tips.

"The new manufacturing facility will help the U.S. meet future demand surges for vital laboratory products while bringing more high-quality jobs to North Carolina," said Mark Stevenson, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "With its strategic geographic location and proximity to a diverse talent base, Mebane is an ideal location for this new facility."

"Thermo Fisher continues to expand its footprint in North Carolina, reinforcing our state's global reputation as a prime location for life sciences companies," said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. "This new investment in Mebane and Orange County proves once again that North Carolina's biotechnology sector is thriving in every corner of our state."

Thermo Fisher's investment in Mebane is part of a larger strategy to build flexible and redundant production capacity in the U.S. and across key regions globally. Increased output from recent site expansions is helping meet ongoing demand for COVID-19-related consumables, including plastics used to collect samples and transport them to labs, as well as for vital equipment, such as single-use technologies (SUT), used to accelerate production and allow flexibility for both Covid and non-Covid vaccines and therapies.