Eli Lilly Scales Back Planned Virginia Insulin Plant

Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. has halved its planned insulin plant in Prince William County, Virginia, according to a Washington Post report (confirmed by a Lilly spokesperson), which appeared yesterday. The proposed plant is also two years behind schedule.

In a meeting yesterday with the Board of County Supervisors, the Post reported, company officials said they now intend to hire only half the approximately 700 workers originally planned and will reduce the planned 600,000-ft² complex to 300,000 ft². Construction is now expected to begin this winter, and the plant should be fully operational by 2009.

The news report cited increasing costs of steel and other building materials as a major reason for the cutback and the delay in the construction start. Industry analysts linked the decision to erosion in Lilly’s insulin market share and declining sales of one of the company’s insulin products, Humulin.

–Laura Bush