Manufacturing & Quality

Making Safe, High-Quality Medicine

We strive for a culture of quality throughout our company, and as a result, quality has become synonymous with the Lilly name. 

We are a leader in developing advanced quality systems that influence every area of our business, from product development to manufacturing and from internal review processes to sales and marketing. Quality extends far past the manufacturing floor; it’s everywhere at Lilly.

Lilly’s standard of excellence in pharmaceutical manufacturing began in 1876 with Colonel Eli Lilly’s revolutionary commitment to producing quality medicines that would improve people’s lives. In the 1940s, Lilly became the first company to manufacture commercial quantities of insulin, paving the way for this lifesaving medicine for people with diabetes. 

Today, Lilly Global Manufacturing continues to produce essential medicines with the help of more than 8,000 employees spread across 14 manufacturing sites worldwide. With the help of a large network of global external manufacturing partners we supply medication to nearly 125 countries. 

Lilly is committed to manufacturing medicines that meet the expectations of safety, quality, value and environmental stewardship. 

Our Expectations

Safety: Medicines are manufactured in a safe environment for employees and the communities surrounding where we manufacture.

Quality: Lilly Quality and Manufacturing work closely together to ensure people receive medicines made to the highest quality standards.

Value: Performance productivity is measured by our global manufacturing organization against best practices, while continuously improving processes and products using good science and Six Sigma methodology.

Environmental Stewardship: Manufacturing processes are transformed to improve environmental footprint in areas of energy efficiency, waste minimization and water reduction.

Manufacturing Mission

Our manufacturing mission is unattainable without the thousands of employees who are individually devoted to scientific excellence, quality, efficiency and integrity. Learn more about who they are and what they do to maintain manufacturing excellence. 

We are committed to making safe, high-quality medicines for people around the world who depend on it every day to make their lives better. 

We work in a way that assures a reliable supply of quality human and animal health products, and as well as supporting product, safety and efficacy information that is both accurate and complete supporting product, safety and efficacy information, that meet the needs of those we serve. 

We research, develop, manufacture and supply products and information using appropriate science, facilities and materials, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. 

We foster a culture of identifying and implementing appropriate continuous improvement, with active engagement of all individuals and involvement of management.