Reckitt has announced plans to invest up to $600 million in a multi-year transformation of its U.S. operations, expanding research and development capabilities in New Jersey and significantly increasing manufacturing capacity at its over-the-counter healthcare facility in North Carolina.
The consumer health and hygiene company said the investments are intended to accelerate innovation, respond more quickly to changing consumer demand and strengthen the resilience of its U.S. supply chain for products including Lysol and Mucinex. Reckitt currently employs more than 4,000 people across seven U.S. manufacturing sites and three science and innovation centers.
A major portion of the investment will center on Reckitt’s North American campus in New Jersey, where the company recently relocated its commercial and operational teams.
Reckitt plans to break ground on a new science and innovation center that will bring research and commercial capabilities closer together. The facility will include advanced capabilities spanning disinfection, microbiology, surface care, laundry care and personal care.
The center is expected to serve as a flagship germ protection hub within Reckitt’s global R&D network and will play an important role in future development of the company’s portfolio, including Lysol.
Reckitt said the new operating model is designed to connect scientists, product developers and commercial teams more closely, potentially reducing the amount of time required to move new healthcare and hygiene products from initial development to market.
The company is also increasing its investment in North Carolina, where it is developing what will become its largest U.S. over-the-counter manufacturing facility.
Additional capital will expand production capacity for Mucinex tablets and liquids as well as increase manufacturing volumes for Move Free products.
The facility is scheduled to open during the first half of 2027. Reckitt said the larger investment will also increase the site’s physical footprint, giving the company additional space for future manufacturing capabilities and more flexibility as demand changes.
The U.S. investment reflects a broader effort by Reckitt to bring research, product development and manufacturing capabilities closer to one of its largest consumer markets.
For healthcare and consumer-product companies, manufacturing capacity can become particularly important when demand for medicines and hygiene products changes quickly. Increasing domestic production gives Reckitt additional flexibility to respond to those fluctuations while reducing reliance on more distant supply sources.
The company is also attempting to use the New Jersey campus to tighten the connection between consumer insights and scientific research.
Rather than operating research and commercial organizations more independently, Reckitt wants scientists and business teams to work within a more integrated environment where customer demand, product development and manufacturing considerations can be evaluated earlier in the innovation process.
That strategy could help the company accelerate development across categories ranging from germ protection and respiratory health to personal care and household products.
Reckitt has maintained a presence in the U.S. for more than a century, with brands such as Lysol and Mucinex becoming important parts of its North American portfolio.
Globally, Reckitt operates in more than 80 countries, employs approximately 36,000 people and sells roughly 30 million products each day.
Its portfolio spans germ protection, household care, intimate wellness and self-care and includes brands such as Dettol, Durex, Finish, Gaviscon, Harpic, Lysol, Mucinex, Nurofen, Strepsils, Vanish and Veet.
The up-to-$600 million U.S. program therefore represents both an infrastructure investment and a larger strategic effort to increase the speed at which Reckitt can develop, manufacture and distribute healthcare products in the American market.
Reckitt plans to provide additional details about its North American business during its first U.S. Reckitt Focus On event on November 19.
KEY QUOTES:
“With a legacy dating to 1892, Reckitt has maintained a significant presence across the U.S. for more than a century. Our iconic brands including Lysol and Mucinex are trusted by millions of American families spanning generations. Today’s investments will continue building our scientific leadership and R&D, drive new innovations and expand our infrastructure allowing Reckitt to increase access for consumers to high-quality health products.”
Jérôme Lemaire, President of Reckitt North America
“Investing in advanced R&D capability is essential to building for the future. This investment fundamentally changes how we innovate. By bringing science, insight and execution closer together, we can move faster from discovery to delivery, developing high-quality, science-led solutions that meet evolving consumer needs and scale globally.”
Angela Naef, Ph.D., Chief R&D Officer at Reckitt
