Governor Walker Announces MilliporeSigma Plans for Expansion

SHEBOYGAN FALLS – MilliporeSigma, the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, joined Governor Scott Walker today in announcing its plans to expand its facility in Sheboygan Falls by 80,000 square feet. With this construction, which includes the consolidation of its Flavors & Fragrances and Stains & Dyes operations in Milwaukee and Europe, and the growth of existing operations in Wisconsin, MilliporeSigma expects to create approximately 175 jobs over the next three years.

“As a global company with operations on five continents, MilliporeSigma had numerous location options for this facility and I commend the company for making this commitment to Wisconsin,” Governor Walker said. “Because of the tremendous progress we’ve made in the last six years to turn around our state’s economy and create a strong pro-business climate, Wisconsin is developing an international reputation among companies seeking to establish or expand operations in the U.S.”

“We look forward to growing our capabilities and footprint in Wisconsin, which is already home to four manufacturing sites and our Milwaukee-based North American Central Distribution Center,” said Udit Batra, CEO, MilliporeSigma. “The expansion of the Sheboygan facility will play an important part in leveraging our existing expertise to serve our broader business around the world.”

To secure the company’s investment in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has authorized MilliporeSigma to receive up to $1.25 million in tax credits over the next three years. The actual amount of credits the company will earn are contingent upon the number of jobs created and the level of capital investment over that time.

“I congratulate MilliporeSigma on its expansion plans, which will strengthen Wisconsin’s thriving biohealth sector,” said Mark R. Hogan, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization. “This investment in Wisconsin is another example of the success we are experiencing as a result of WEDC’s proactive efforts to attract foreign direct investment.”

Governor Walker and WEDC leaders met with executives of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany at the company’s global headquarters during the governor’s trade mission to Europe in April 2015 and have had ongoing negotiations about investing in Wisconsin since then.

About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 19,000 employees and 65 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of €15 billion in 2016. Around 50,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. The company holds the global rights to the name and the trademark “Merck” internationally except for the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.