Thermo Fisher Expands US Manufacturing Capacity with Sanofi Plant Acquisition

Thermo Fisher Scientific has made a significant move to strengthen its drug manufacturing capabilities in the United States by acquiring a sterile fill-finish and packaging plant from Sanofi in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The deal, announced on July 16, 2025, is part of Thermo Fisher's $2 billion investment pledge in US operations and is expected to close before the end of the year.

Strategic Expansion of US Manufacturing Capabilities

The acquisition of Sanofi's Ridgefield facility marks a crucial step in Thermo Fisher's efforts to meet the growing demand for US manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. Marc Casper, CEO of Thermo Fisher, emphasized the strategic importance of this move:

"Sanofi's Ridgefield site will strengthen our US manufacturing capabilities, enabling us to better support our pharmaceutical and biotech customers with the critical production capacity needed for essential medicines," Casper stated. "We will also expand and further strengthen our long-standing partnership with Sanofi, while investing to bring additional capacity and enhanced capabilities at this site."

The Ridgefield plant will be integrated into Thermo Fisher's Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services segment, which accounted for 52% of the company's $42.9 billion revenue in 2024. This addition complements Thermo Fisher's existing US fill-finish network, which includes sites in Greenville, North Carolina, and Plainville, Massachusetts.

Impact on Workforce and Sanofi Partnership

As part of the deal, more than 200 Sanofi employees currently working at the Ridgefield site will join Thermo Fisher upon the transaction's completion. This transition ensures continuity of operations and preserves valuable expertise at the facility.

The acquisition also builds upon the existing partnership between Thermo Fisher and Sanofi. Brendan O'Callaghan, Sanofi's global head of manufacturing & supply, commented on the benefits of this expanded collaboration:

"This expansion of our long-term partnership with Thermo Fisher will help ensure a continued supply of high-quality Sanofi products, maintaining our commitment to American manufacturing and supporting our customers and patients in the US, while enabling the future development and growth of the site."

Industry Context and Future Outlook

This acquisition comes at a time of significant changes in the pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape. The facility, originally acquired by Sanofi through its $20 billion buyout of Genzyme in 2011, has a history of producing injectable drugs and more recently played a role in manufacturing Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.

While Thermo Fisher expands its US presence, the company has also undergone recent restructuring, including workforce reductions in Massachusetts and the closure of one of its viral vector production facilities. In February, Thermo Fisher further diversified its portfolio with a $4.1 billion acquisition of Solventum's purification and filtration business.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, strategic moves like Thermo Fisher's acquisition of the Ridgefield plant highlight the ongoing importance of domestic manufacturing capabilities and the dynamic nature of partnerships within the sector.