- Axplora is investing €35 million to expand its Farmabios site in Gropello Cairoli, Italy, more than doubling its footprint.
- This brings the company’s total investment in the site to over €80 million since 2019, with further capabilities for HPAPI manufacturing and sustainability.
Axplora has announced a €35 million expansion of its Farmabios facility in Gropello Cairoli, Italy, marking a continued commitment to growth and innovation in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing. The investment will increase the site’s total area to 108,000 square metres by 2026, more than ten times its original size when operations began in 1968.
This new development adds to the €45 million already invested over the past five years, which included the construction of a micronisation department, expanded warehouse space, and the RS40 building – a facility purpose-built for the safe handling of High Potent APIs (HPAPIs). The RS40 unit is compliant with OEB5 containment and maintains an Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) as low as 10 nanograms per cubic metre.
“This expansion is not just a matter of scale, it’s about shaping the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing,” said Mario Di Giacomo, Managing Director of Farmabios. “We are investing with purpose: to enhance our capabilities, support our partners, and continue leading with innovation and integrity.”
The Farmabios workforce has nearly doubled since 2020, growing from around 150 to nearly 300 employees. This reflects the site’s increasing role within Axplora’s global network. The site is equipped with facilities for cytotoxic and sterile processing, extensive R&D capabilities, and upgraded environmental systems including Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTOs). In 2024, Farmabios was awarded Platinum status by EcoVadis, placing it among the top 1% of companies for sustainability.
Commenting on the announcement, Martin Meeson, CEO of Axplora, said: “Every investment we make is guided by the ambition to deliver greater value to our customers, while raising the bar in reliability, speed and efficiency.”
The latest greenfield expansion is part of Axplora’s broader strategy, which includes recent investments of €50 million in Mourenx and €8 million in Le Mans, to meet the evolving needs of global pharmaceutical partners.
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