Merck plans $895M expansion for its De Soto biologics site; leaders tout strength of KC animal health corridor

DE SOTO, Kan. — A biopharmaceutical giant plans to invest $895 million to expand its biologics facility in Kansas, notching another win as leaders position Kansas City as a hub for digital and animal health innovation.

Manufacturing at Merck Animal Health; courtesy photo

The 200,000-square-foot expansion project includes an $860 million investment in Merck Animal Health’s existing manufacturing site west of the Kansas City metro, along K-10. Another $35 million is slated for its research and development laboratories, further strengthening the company’s global leadership in parasiticide and therapeutics development, and deepening its roots in the De Soto community, the company said.

“This announcement reaffirms what we’ve long known — the Animal Health Corridor is where global leaders come to grow,” said Kimberly Young, president of the KC Animal Health Corridor, an affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “Merck Animal Health’s expansion in De Soto is more than a vote of confidence — it’s a signal to the world that this region is built for ambitious, industry-defining work.”

Merck’s De Soto campus is strategically located within the KC Animal Health Corridor — the world’s largest concentration of animal health companies, home to more than 300 businesses representing 56 percent of global animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales.

Site preparation and facility design will begin immediately, Merck said, with 2,500 construction jobs expected to support site development. The expansion will create more than 200 new full-time roles when manufacturing operations begin in 2030.

Merck Animal Health’s facility near De Soto, Kansas, west of the Kansas City metro; courtesy photo

“Our De Soto manufacturing facility is strategically located in the heart of the Animal Health Corridor. This region is renowned for its concentration of animal health companies, fostering an unparalleled ecosystem for innovation, collaboration and industry leadership,” said Richard DeLuca, president of Merck Animal Health. “This investment in our site is designed to increase Merck Animal Health’s ability to meet the growing customer demand for its portfolio of animal biologics products and ensure the company remains at the forefront of innovation in the animal health sector. This initiative also reflects our dedication to advancing animal health and our on-going investment in the communities where we operate.”

The new manufacturing facility will expand filling and freeze dryer capacity for large-molecule vaccines and biologic products for Merck Animal Health, the company said. As a designated Center of Excellence, it will play a key role in Merck Animal Health’s global manufacturing network while building on its decades-long legacy in the region.

“Merck has been not only a great corporate citizen, but an integral economic engine in De Soto for the past 25 years,” said Tim Holverson, president of the De Soto Kansas Chamber of Commerce & EDC. “De Soto has shown they can deliver the workforce talent and values the economic partnership that has made this a true economic development success story.”