the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Branchburg NJ, Swiss pharmaceutical leader Roche has unveiled a massive $50 billion investment plan to expand its U.S. manufacturing and operations, with a portion of the expansion expected to take place in New Jersey. The strategic move comes as the pharmaceutical industry navigates the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported medical products.
The expansion is expected to create 12,000 jobs nationwide—6,500 in construction and 1,000 in new and expanded U.S. manufacturing facilities, according to a statement released Tuesday.
“Roche will export more medicines from the U.S. than it imports,” the company emphasized, signaling a dramatic shift toward domestic production.
U.S. Job Creation & Pharma Growth
The five-year expansion will span multiple U.S. states, with New Jersey included among the beneficiaries. Although Roche has not yet revealed specific NJ locations, the company has a strong presence in Somerset County, where it previously launched the largest diagnostics operations center in the country.
“These investments will lay the foundation for our next era of innovation and growth, benefiting patients in the U.S. and around the world,” said Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker.
The initiative supports Roche’s medicines and diagnostics portfolio, and positions the company to lead amid an evolving global supply chain landscape.
Key Expansion Locations & Projects
While details for New Jersey remain under wraps, Roche’s broader U.S. plan includes:
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Gene therapy manufacturing site in Pennsylvania
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900,000-square-foot weight-loss drug production facility (location TBD)
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Continuous glucose monitoring facility in Indiana
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Research & development hub in Massachusetts
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Expansions in California, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon, and Arizona
Roche in the U.S.
Roche currently employs 25,000 people across 24 U.S. sites, and this investment will significantly boost its American footprint. The expansions also appear to preempt any potential White House decision to impose new tariffs on pharmaceutical imports.
Although a Roche spokesperson did not confirm exact details about the New Jersey expansion, they indicated more information will be released in the coming weeks.
Industry-Wide Investment Trend
Roche’s expansion announcement joins a wave of U.S. investment from major pharmaceutical companies:
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Novartis: $23 billion U.S. investment, including an upgrade to its Millburn, NJ cancer therapy facility.
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Johnson & Johnson: $55 billion over four years, including a $2 billion North Carolina logistics hub.
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