Atlanta & Local Affairs
UCB, the Brussels-based biopharmaceutical company, held a site dedication ceremony on Oct. 12 for its planned U.S. biologics manufacturing campus at Rowen in Gwinnett County, marking a milestone in a roughly $2 billion project expected to create about 330 permanent jobs and support more than 1,000 construction jobs over the next several years, according to a release from Partnership Gwinnett.
The project itself is not new. Gwinnett County announced it on March 24, describing it as UCB’s first U.S. biologics manufacturing site and saying the permanent roles would carry average annual salaries of more than $72,000. The county also projected about $5 billion in total economic impact. What the dedication adds is the clearest picture yet of the campus: about 460,000 square feet on 79 acres within Rowen, the mixed-use innovation district focused on global health, agriculture and environmental sustainability.
The release says the facility is designed “with a digital-first approach” and will use artificial intelligence, automation and advanced manufacturing technologies to produce complex biologic medicines. It is expected to support commercial production of recently approved and future biologic medicines.
Gov. Brian Kemp attended, along with U.S. Department of Commerce and Gwinnett County officials. “It is an honor to stand with UCB leadership and so many Georgians who made this campus a reality to mark this great milestone for our state,” Kemp said. UCB Chief Executive Jean-Christophe Tellier said the investment reflects the company’s “long-term commitment to patients” and its contribution to “highly skilled jobs, and economic growth in Georgia.” Guests also unveiled Emmanuel Janssen Circle, a stonework installation at the roundabout entrance to the future campus, named for UCB’s founder and his family.
The workforce pieces are already lined up on paper. The release lists Georgia Quick Start, the state’s workforce training program, among the economic development partners, alongside the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Gwinnett County government and Georgia Power, working with Partnership Gwinnett and the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Partnership Gwinnett’s Kevin Carmichael said the group looks forward “to helping UCB connect with the talent and resources that will support its long-term success.”
What to watch
The release gives no construction schedule, production start date or hiring timeline. Watch for UCB to say when the campus will begin operating and when recruiting for the permanent roles starts, and for any Georgia Quick Start training program tied to the site.
The catch
The 330 permanent jobs and the $5 billion impact are projections made when the project was announced, not current openings or measured results. The roughly 1,000 construction jobs are described as supported over several years, not as a single peak headcount.
Sources
- Partnership Gwinnett, “Life Science Leader UCB Dedicates Future Site for $2 Billion Rowen Investment in Gwinnett,” October 12, 2026. https://partnershipgwinnett.com/life-science-leader-ucb-dedicates-future-site-for-2-billion-rowen-investment-in-gwinnett-approximately-2-billion-investment-in-gwinnett-county-expected-to-support-330-permanent-jobs-and-more-than-1/
- Gwinnett County, “Gwinnett County Announces $2 Billion UCB Manufacturing Facility at Rowen,” March 24, 2026. https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/-/news-events/news-releases/news-details/gwinnett-county-announces-2-billion-ucb-manufacturing-facility-at-rowen
Featured photo: UCB’s headquarters in Anderlecht, Brussels, in May 2023. Representative image of the company; not the Rowen site in Gwinnett County. Photo: Edison McCullen, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cropped from the original.
