Bayer has retained Fluor for early design of its proposed New Albany pharmaceutical campus, a company spokesperson told Engineering News-Record on October 5. The confirmation adds a concrete planning milestone to the $2.2 billion project announced three days earlier.
The company had not selected a detailed-design firm, construction manager or general contractor, according to the report. New Albany spokesperson Adrienne Mayfield also told ENR that the city had not received site plans or applications for zoning, grading, building or infrastructure permits.
Bayer’s October 2 announcement describes a modular campus that would manufacture both drug substances and finished medicines. The initial focus would include cancer, cardiovascular and kidney treatments. The first manufacturing module is expected to start operating in 2031, with another planned for 2034.
The company projects about 600 permanent positions and roughly 1,500 construction jobs. Those are expected future jobs, not a count of workers already employed at the proposed campus.
New Albany’s project announcement points to the Ohio Life Science Training Center, due to open in summer 2027, as part of the workforce preparation for the site. The city says Bayer expects to draw on the center to train manufacturing operators and technicians.
Construction is targeted for mid-2027, subject to design work, due diligence, approvals and permits. The design appointment therefore marks progress in preparation, while the construction timetable remains conditional.