Vetter’s $163 million expansion plan faces big vote in Des Plaines

A German pharmaceutical company’s $163 million plan to expand its Des Plaines facility could get a key go-ahead from the city council Monday.

Vetter intends to construct a roughly 158,000-square-foot manufacturing and office building on its nearly 18-acre campus at 10 W. Algonquin Road. Three existing Vetter buildings on the property will remain.

The city council preliminarily approved the development plan last month. A required second vote is scheduled for Monday’s council meeting. The session will begin at 7 p.m. at city hall, 1420 Miner St.

Vetter fills and packages medical syringes, cartridges and vials. In addition to the Des Plaines campus, it has a facility in Skokie that features a manufacturing center, laboratories and other departments.

The company plans to move workers from Skokie to Des Plaines and create at least 50 full-time positions within four years, city officials have said.

Mayor Andrew Goczkowski expects the council will push the plan across the goal line Monday. He said the development proposal shows companies see Des Plaines as a destination and want to “invest their dollars” in the suburb.

The council already has supported a sought-after reduction of the property’s assessment rate. Vetter representatives have said the expansion project isn’t financially feasible without the tax break, which needs Cook County Board approval.

Monday’s council meeting — the first since this week’s municipal election — will be livestreamed at desplainesil.gov.