$46 Million Plant to Open in Hudson Valley, Adding 250 Jobs

A multi-million dollar pharmaceutical plant will soon transform the Hudson Valley into the largest chlorhexidine gluconate manufacturing site in the world.

On Monday, it was announced that Raronit Pharmaceutical will be investing in a $46 million, 200,000-square-foot pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in New Windsor, New York. The plant is expected to create high-skilled local jobs.

Over the past year, the headlines have been full of stories about factories and warehouses closing down in the Hudson Valley. Amscan, a company that supplied products for Party City, closed down its operations in Chester and Newburgh, laying off 524 employees. Urnex relocated its Hudson Valley plant in February of 2024, eliminating 84 jobs. A month later, Zena Delivery & Logistics in New Windsor laid off 100 more workers in New Windsor, while consolidation at Elementis SRL led to more layoffs in Middletown and Hugenot. Over the summer, Middletown also lost 54 jobs from Wineshipping.com and 88 more from Frito-Lay, while Trans Tech Bus relocated out of Warwick, taking 81 local jobs with it.

Jobs Coming Back to Orange County at New Pharmaceutical Plant

Raronit Pharmaceutical will be creating 100 permanent and up to 150 temporary jobs at its New Windsor facility, which is expected to become the world's largest Chlorhexidine production facility. The chemical is an antiseptic that kills bacteria on the skin. It's used by surgeons to clean their hands before a procedure and by patients as an antibiotic before surgery or injection. The new Orange County facility is expected to supply hospitals around the world with Chlorhexidine.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State will support Garonit's investment of $46.1 million with $3.8 million of state funding from the Excelsior Jobs Program and Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development grants. Hochul touted the project, saying it will create good-paying jobs and secure New York's reputation of innovation and opportunity for its residents.

Construction on New Plant to Create Even More Jobs

Construction on the facility is expected to take place near Stewart International Airport early next year, with an opening date scheduled for January of 2027. Up to 150 construction jobs will be created during the building of the plant, ahead of 100 high-skilled permanent positions that will be filled once it opens.

Garonit Pharmaceutical has already begun working with SUNY Orange to launch training programs that will train local residents for the new high-skilled jobs. Employees will also have the opportunity to earn bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees in order to advance their careers within the company.