Governor Laura Kelly Announces Thermo Fisher Expansion to Help Increase COVID-19 Testing Statewide, Create Jobs
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today visited Thermo Fisher Scientific in Lenexa to celebrate the opening of the company’s new Viral Transport Media manufacturing site, which will play a critical role in Kansas’ comprehensive COVID-19 testing strategy and create more than 300 full-time jobs.
“I want to thank the Thermo Fisher team for its work in protecting our health and safety and helping Kansas tackle the many challenges brought on by COVID-19,” Governor Kelly said. “By significantly increasing the manufacturing capacity of this facility, Thermo Fisher will not only have a positive impact on public health, but will help my administration as we work to rebuild our state’s fiscal foundation and make our economy stronger than it has ever been – not just returning to pre-pandemic conditions.”
Thermo Fisher has been producing COVID-19 testing products since the onset of the pandemic.
Built in just six weeks, this $40 million facility has created more than 300 new full-time jobs and added 120,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity in Lenexa. The company estimates that more than 150 million testing products will be produced by the end of the year.
Secretary of Commerce David Toland joined Governor Kelly at today’s ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony.
“The need for research and development of pharmaceuticals to test for and combat COVID-19 is essential to our economic recovery, and Thermo Fisher is stepping up to help take on this huge task,” Secretary Toland said. “Thermo Fisher is doing extremely important work for COVID-19 research, and I’m proud that such important, critically needed products will be produced in Kansas.”
Today’s ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony not only established the new Lenexa facility, but it also signified the beginning of Phase 2 of the project, which will focus on new research and development in the fight against COVID-19.
For more information on Thermo Fisher, including the viral transport media manufacturing site in Lenexa, visit their website here.
The below photos are available for media use:
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0501.jpg
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0505.jpg
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0510.jpg
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0512.jpg
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0509.jpg
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0507.jpg