Sharp Sterile Manufacturing — A $28 Million Commitment to the Berkshires

Last week, Sharp Sterile Manufacturing opened its doors to a room full of local and regional community leaders. It wasn’t a ribbon cutting. It wasn’t a press event. It was a conversation.

Company leaders walked us through their facility in Lee, explained the precision behind sterile fill-finish manufacturing, and — most notably — asked for input. They wanted feedback. They wanted to understand how they could better engage local suppliers, restaurants, service firms, and educators. They talked about workforce. They talked about students. They talked about long-term partnership.

That meeting came just days after the company announced a $28 million expansion of its Lee facility — a significant investment that will expand capacity, add cutting-edge sterile filling lines, and strengthen its role in global pharmaceutical manufacturing.  For many, $28 million is simply a headline. For the Berkshires, it is a signal.

From Startup Vision to Regional Anchor

This story began in 2014, when Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing was founded in Lee with a focused vision: build a specialized sterile fill-finish operation capable of supporting complex injectable drug products for biotech and pharmaceutical companies. At the time, it was a startup with just a few employees and a highly technical strategy — isolator-based filling, lyophilization, formulation development. This is sophisticated, highly regulated work often tied to clinical-stage and commercial drug production.

Over the next decade, that startup grew deliberately. Local financing partners — including Berkshire Bank (now Beacon Bank), Lee Bank, and MassDevelopment — supported facility upgrades and expansion. A $16.5 million financing package in 2020 enabled continued growth. A $20 million expansion followed in 2021.

Employment climbed steadily from a handful of employees to more than 150 — and today, more than 230.  In 2023, the company was acquired by Sharp Services and rebranded as Sharp Sterile Manufacturing, integrating the Lee operation into a global pharmaceutical services network.

What followed is what matters most. Rather than consolidating operations elsewhere, Sharp doubled down on Lee. The newly announced $28 million investment expands capacity here. It adds advanced equipment here. It reinforces the Berkshires as a viable location for advanced sterile manufacturing.  Everything I have seen reflects a clear commitment to growing this operation in the Berkshires and serving as a responsible steward of the community.

Careers in One of the World’s Most Dynamic Industries

What Sharp offers is not just jobs.  They are well-paying career opportunities in one of the fastest-growing and most impactful industries in the world — life sciences and advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.  Inside the Lee facility, employees operate state-of-the-art sterile filling lines and isolator technology. They work in engineering, quality assurance, validation, and regulatory compliance at global standards. They help produce and support life-saving treatments.

This is precision work. It demands technical skill, discipline, and continuous training.

Just as important, the vast majority of hires are local.  These are Berkshire residents building careers without leaving the region. These are young professionals entering a global industry while remaining rooted in their community. These are pathways into engineering, operations, and leadership roles that can span decades.

For students in our high schools and colleges, this matters. Companies like Sharp Sterile Manufacturing make it possible to imagine a future here — one that is technologically sophisticated, economically stable, and connected to something larger than ourselves.

The Ecosystem Behind the Growth

The company’s founding in 2014 coincided with sustained statewide investment in life sciences.

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), established in 2008, has invested more than $1 billion across the Commonwealth to strengthen the life sciences ecosystem. That strategy has included tax incentives, workforce programs, and infrastructure funding designed to expand advanced manufacturing beyond the urban core.

In the Berkshires, those policies aligned with entrepreneurial initiative and local capital.

An experienced founder launched a specialized company in Lee. Local banks provided early financing. State-level life sciences strategy supported sector growth. Skilled workers stepped into highly technical roles. And over time, the company built enough credibility and capacity to attract global investment. This is what long-term ecosystem building looks like. Not overnight success, but disciplined expansion sustained over a decade.

Growth That Engages the Community

What stood out most during last week’s visit was not the machinery — impressive as it is — but the mindset.  Company leaders spoke about supporting local businesses. They recently sponsored the Berkshire Robotics Challenge and expressed eagerness to engage regional students and educators. They asked how they could strengthen ties across the community. That posture matters.  When growth is embedded locally — when it invests in students, supports small businesses, and invites collaboration — it strengthens the entire region.

A Clear Signal

A $28 million investment in Lee is more than square footage and equipment.  It is a vote of confidence in our workforce, in our community, and in our region. 

A decade ago, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing was a startup with a clear technical idea and a small team. Today, Sharp Sterile Manufacturing employs more than 250 people and is expanding again.  That arc tells an important story.  Entrepreneurs can start here, local institutions can support them, state policy can reinforce their growth, and global firms will invest where performance and potential align.  For the Berkshires — and for the next generation considering where to build their future — that is a powerful message. 

As James Hamilton, President of Sharp Sterile told me, “This is a great entrepreneurial success story.  At Sharp, we feel a tremendous responsibility to continue the journey that began over 10 years ago for our employees, the community, and most importantly, the patients that depend on our services.”  

Sharp Sterile’s expansion is a reminder of what is possible. We should be proud of this growth — and intentional about creating the conditions that allow the next generation of entrepreneurs to launch, scale, and create the careers of the future right here in the Berkshires. At the Berkshire Innovation Center, we are committed to doing our part to help build those conditions — supporting talent, strengthening industry connections, and ensuring that the next success story has the opportunity to begin here.