This story is part of an ongoing series, Powering Change: Panasonic and De Soto. If you'd like to share your excitement or concerns about the electric vehicle battery plant, you can do so here.
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First, it was Panasonic. Now, another major company is planting deeper roots in De Soto.
Merck Animal Health has announced an expansion of its De Soto operations, and it’s bringing hundreds of new jobs with it.
The investment will allow the company to expand its manufacturing capacity for animal vaccines and biologic products.
“We'll be enhancing the capabilities to bring best-in-class therapeutics to the market, ultimately benefiting our pets and addressing unmet medical needs,” said Brian Gay, Merck De Soto plant manager.
The expansion means hundreds of new jobs — 200 permanent positions in biomanufacturing and quality engineering, and 2,500 temporary roles during construction.
KSHB 41's Olivia Acree asked Gay what the $895 million commitment means for the company.
“It means a lot,” Gay said. "It's going to grow our capacity to meet customers' needs. It's going to be a significant investment here in De Soto.”
Merck is already a familiar name around the city of 6,500. Merck has operated in De Soto since the early 2000s, but its place inside the so-called animal health corridor— stretching from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri — makes it a good spot for that growth to continue.
“I think it's gonna help the community,” said Dr. Matt Fehr, De Soto veterinarian. “It's going to add jobs. So that's, I think, that's always good for a small community.”
Fehr runs the De Soto Veterinary Clinic, where he sees Merck’s impact up close.
“They're improving their vaccines, which improves [the] health of our pets,” Fehr said. “Anything that they can do to improve the health of our pets is a plus.”
Fehr has watched De Soto’s landscape change with the addition of Panasonic. With Merck's expansion around the corner, he said these changes will help keep De Soto moving forward.
“Is it losing a small-town feel? I don't think it is yet,” Fehr said. “It's good to have all that revenue for the community so the community can continue to grow.”
Construction on the new Merck facility is expected to begin by late 2025 or early 2026.
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KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.