Amgen exec: Puerto Rico site sets new global standards in biotech
Amgen Manufacturing Limited (AML), a cornerstone of Puerto Rico’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, is reaffirming its long-term commitment to the island with a robust biomanufacturing operation in Juncos, backed by nearly $5 billion in investment over the past three decades.
As the largest facility in Amgen’s global network, the Juncos site stands alone as the company’s only location offering full end-to-end capabilities — from drug substance creation to formulation, filling, packaging and global distribution.
The 200-acre complex features four active manufacturing plants and produces 24 medicines, including biologics to treat inflammation, oncology, bone health, rare diseases and general medicine.
“Our mission is to deliver end-to-end manufacturing solutions with a focus on reliable global supply,” said Thomas Seewoester, vice president of site operations at AML, who has been with the company in different capacities for nearly 25 years.
“AML plays a critical role as Amgen’s largest biotechnology facility, and we have a responsibility not only to meet expectations but also to set new performance standards across our global network,” he said.
As for where Puerto Rico’s manufacturing sector could stand under the Trump administration’s “Made in America” platform, Seewoester said the island is in a “very unique space, and if the government and the collective manufacturing group here play it right, [Puerto Rico] can continue to be a strong asset as it has been in the last 30 years and potentially draw more business.”
“Made in America” is a policy agenda aimed at increasing domestic manufacturing, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains and prioritizing U.S.-made goods in federal procurement.
Amgen’s investment in Puerto Rico extends beyond infrastructure. The company employs more than 2,200 full-time associates and 800 indirect workers. Including contractors, the workforce exceeds 3,000. Roughly 95% of full-time staff are Puerto Rican.
“It’s a well-working environment,” Seewoester said. “But it could quickly fall apart without tight collaboration among academia, industry and government.”
That collaboration is reflected in Amgen’s decades-long partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez campus (known as RUM), and other academic institutions. The company offers virtual training and brings instructors on-site to support a digitally skilled workforce.
“We’re not looking at AI as job replacement,” Seewoester added. “It’s about speed, augmentation and upskilling.”
Amgen is deploying a proprietary large language model for internal use and integrating artificial intelligence to accelerate operations and boost performance.
The three pillars
In an interview with News is my Business, Seewoester — who joined the Juncos operation in December 2023 — outlined three strategic pillars shaping AML’s future: reliability and operational excellence, innovation and future-readiness, and talent and culture development.
“We are focused on creating a prepared operation that can quickly adapt to evolving product portfolios, regulatory expectations and emerging technologies,” he said.
Despite the island’s unreliable power grid, Amgen has built a highly resilient energy system in Juncos. The site operates with dual high-voltage feeder lines, 16 diesel generators capable of 10 days of uninterrupted operation and is in the process of integrating Puerto Rico’s fifth-largest liquefied natural gas facility.
“Within two minutes of any disruption, the site is back online,” Seewoester said, noting the site’s coordination with Luma Energy for continuous refueling.
The campus includes a process development facility, protein purification systems, analytical and quality laboratories, and a cogeneration power plant and water treatment center, reflecting its evolution into one of the most advanced biomanufacturing centers globally.
“If all stakeholders play it right,” Seewoester said, “Puerto Rico can continue to be a strong global asset.”
Since its founding in 1992, AML has contributed to the production of medicines that have reached more than 14 million patients in more than 100 countries, reaffirming its global impact and local relevance.
“Our company is focused on empowering high-performing, digitally skilled teams and fostering a culture that builds and promotes the common good,” Seewoester said.
