A conceptual rendering shows the potential future buildout of the 46-acre Reactory biomanufacturing business park at the former Worcester State Hospital property. Image courtesy of the Worcester Business Development Corp.
Following the recent pause of a high-profile biomanufacturing project in Worcester, a central Massachusetts incubator laid out a growth strategy for the industry cluster.
The Worcester-based Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives incubator is calling for “modest public investments” to augment private investment in the industry.
“Worcester has a once in a generation opportunity to establish itself as a global biomanufacturing hub. Located less than an hour west of Boston, the region has become a magnet for top talent, has land available, can offer a lower cost of doing business, and is home to a multitude of higher education and hospital institutions to support the industry,” MBI CEO Jon Weaver said in a statement.
The region continues to provide a discount in real estate costs in competing markets including Boston and North Carolina, while offering proximity to the biotech R&D cluster in eastern Massachusetts.
After interviewing 70 industry executives and economic development officials, MBI recommended new funding for biomanufacturing workforce training programs. The options include $250,000 per site for workforce development and recruitment, $10 million per site for workforce training facilities, $750,000 annually for workforce grants and $500,000 to develop an advanced manufacturing curriculum for high school students.
The report also calls for $15 million to expand biomanufacturing programs at local universities, a $20-million seed fund for Gateway Cities biomanufacturing startups, $10 million for a bioindustrial process improvement center, $10 million a year for a site readiness program and $20-million for incentives to spur more speculative lab and manufacturing development outside of Interstate 495.
Worcester County represents 24 percent of the Bay State’s biomanufacturing employment and could capture another 1,200 jobs in the next three years, according to the report.
Worcester Business Development Corp. oversees The Reactory, a redevelopment of the 46-acre former Worcester State Hospital property which is offering sites for drug manufacturing projects.
WuXi Biologics agreed to develop a 107,000-square-foot facility at The Reactory in 2020 and later expanded the project to 189,500 square feet scheduled for completion in 2025. The $300 million project was paused this spring, and company officials said the project is being redesigned.
WuXi planned to provide large-scale pharmaceutical production for biopharma clients in Greater Boston.
Despite the delays, central Massachusetts offers desirable sites for Boston-area life science companies to scale manufacturing, according to the report.
