Cambrex Expands Large-Scale Manufacturing Capacity at Iowa Site

On Oct. 23, 2017, Cambrex, a manufacturer of APIs, announced the completion of a large-scale manufacturing  expansion of the company's Charles City, Iowa facility. The investment included the installation of 1000- and 4000-gallon glass-lined reactors, in addition to ancillary equipment.

The reactors have been installed in the 7500-ft² manufacturing facility, which opened at the site in 2016. With the new reactors, cGMP reactor capacity has reached 23,000 gallons, with the total capacity at the Charles City facility now approximately 107,000 gallons. According to Shawn Cavanagh, COO of Cambrex, the newly-expanded plant will facilitate projects transferred from other company sites.

The Charles City facility is located on a 45-acre site and manufactures a range of APIs and pharmaceutical intermediates, including highly potent molecules and controlled substances. Additionally, the facility is authorized by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to import narcotic raw materials at commercial scale, according to the company. 

This investment comes after the installation of a new pilot plant at the site in 2017 and recent announcements of expansions across other manufacturing sites, including the construction of a $24-million, 4500ft² highly potent API manufacturing facility at its Charles City, Iowa site, which is due to open in 2019.

Source: Cambrex