Life Sciences Manufacturer Meissner to Create 1,700 Jobs in Athens-Clarke County

Governor Brian Kemp today announced that Meissner Corporation, an industry leader in advanced microfiltration and therapeutic manufacturing systems, will invest nearly $250 million in a new facility in Athens-Clarke County. The project will create more than 1,700 jobs over the next eight years.

“As the No. 1 state for business, Georgia remains a leader in a wide range of industries, including life sciences,” Kemp said. “We are excited to welcome Meissner to the Peach State where they will find a talented workforce and strong partnership with both the state and the people of Athens-Clarke County.”

Meissner is one of the world’s largest privately held companies in the bioprocessing sector. It develops, manufactures, supplies, and services products and systems for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Camarillo, California, the company operates globally and supports clients worldwide. Meissner’s product portfolio enables the development and manufacture of critical medicines in therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiology, and immunology.

The company recently played a leading role in the industry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing critical products which enabled the development, manufacture, and distribution of numerous lifesaving therapeutics and vaccines.

“We are thrilled to embark on this important expansion and are excited to build our second U.S. manufacturing campus in Athens-Clarke County,” said Christopher Meissner, President of Meissner. “The State of Georgia, and Athens-Clarke County in particular, is an ideal location with an incredible talent pool and strong geographic position that allows us to serve clients on the East Coast and throughout the world. We sincerely appreciate the partnership with state and county officials, and are eager to break ground to join the community in Athens-Clarke County.”

Meissner’s new facility will be located at the Christian Industrial Tract, located at 1310 Spring Valley Road, in Winterville. When the currently planned phases are complete, the new campus will more than double the company’s manufacturing footprint in the U.S. as the company expands operations. Meissner expects the new site in Athens-Clarke County to consist of multiple structures, which will include state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities, laboratories, research and development, and office spaces.

Operations are expected to begin in early 2026. The company will be hiring for a broad range of roles, including technicians, scientists, and engineers as well as information technology and administrative positions. Interested individuals can learn more at www.meissner.com.

The company also plans to work with the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, including schools such as the University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Athens Technical College. These partnerships will explore potential internship and other collaboration opportunities through relevant programs of study.

“We are delighted to welcome Meissner to the Athens-Clarke County community,” said Mayor Kelly Girtz, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. “The innovative, creative culture of Meissner is an excellent fit with Athens-Clarke County’s vibrant quality of life, our cluster of biotechnology businesses, and our engineering and bioscience research and expertise.”

Director of Industrial Projects Barton Lowrey represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this project in partnership with Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Economic Development - Invest Athens, Georgia Power, and Georgia Quick Start.

“Meissner provides critical equipment that benefits other key industries in Georgia,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “From life sciences to food processing, companies across the state rely on these filtration systems to produce products that are safe for use. The addition of Meissner to our state’s business community will complement the state’s industry mix while also diversifying the local economy in Athens-Clarke County.”

About Meissner

Meissner Corporation manufactures advanced microfiltration products and therapeutic manufacturing systems for critical pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical applications, such as sterilization of injectable drugs, and the development and manufacture of life-enhancing/life-saving drugs, therapeutics, biologics, and cell and gene therapies. The company is a critical supplier to manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines, therapies, treatments and associated test kits. Meissner’s manufacturing campuses include a headquarters location in Camarillo, California, USA, and a European manufacturing location in Castlebar, Ireland. For more information about Meissner, please visit www.meissner.com.

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For more information, contact Ilka McConnell, Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Director, at ilka.mcconnell@accgov.com or Jessica Atwell, Georgia Department of Economic Development Communications Specialist, at jatwell@georgia.org.