Axplora is proud to unveil a transformative €35 million expansion at its Farmabios site in Gropello Cairoli, Italy, reinforcing the company’s longstanding commitment to serving the evolving needs of its customers through strategic investment and innovation. This latest investment builds on the €45 million already committed over the past five years, bringing Axplora’s total recent investment in Farmabios to over €80 million.
The addition of 62,000 square meters of new development in 2026 will more than double the total footprint of the site to 108,000 square meters. This will be more than ten times its original size Farmabios began commercial operations in 1968.
“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.”
This expansion follows a period of accelerated growth at Farmabios over the last five years, during which €45m has already been invested. Key initiatives include the construction of a new micronisation department, expanded warehouse capacity, and the RS40 building – a state-of-the-art unit purpose- built for the safe and efficient handling of High Potent APIs (HPAPIs).
Designed in accordance with the most stringent safety and containment standards, RS40 employs a
comprehensive exposure control strategy, including a layout based on exposure zoning that ensures
strict segregation of high-potency operations within dedicated suites. The facility supports an
Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) as low as 10 nanograms per cubic meter and complies fully with
OEB5 containment criteria. Its design incorporates stand-alone workshops and fully isolated process
rooms to mitigate cross-contamination risks, offering maximum protection for both operators and
products. In addition, the micronisation rooms are equipped with isolators specifically designed for
HPAPI processing, ensuring safe handling of potent compounds at every stage.
This period of investment has been matched by significant talent growth: between 2020 and 2024,
Farmabios’ workforce nearly doubled, from approximately 150 to nearly 300 employees, reflecting the
site’s strategic importance within Axplora’s global network. This trend is likely to continue with the
expansion of the site.
“The Farmabios site reflects Axplora’s commitment to being a proactive, science-led, and sustainable
partner,” said Martin Meeson, CEO of Axplora. “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.”
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