CHARLES CITY, IA — Cambrex, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), officially broke ground today on a major $120 million expansion project at its longstanding facility in Charles City, Iowa. This significant investment is set to bolster the company’s domestic manufacturing footprint and enhance its ability to support the complex, evolving needs of pharmaceutical and biotech partners.
The expansion project is designed to substantially increase the site’s production capabilities. By adding 160,000 liters of new manufacturing capacity, the Charles City facility will see its total capacity grow by approximately 25%, bringing the site’s combined potential to nearly one million liters. This addition is specifically engineered to support the development and commercial-scale manufacturing of small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and high-demand synthetic peptides.
The milestone arrives during a historic year for the Iowa facility, which is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary of operations. Company leadership emphasized that the multi-million dollar investment honors the site’s century-long legacy while positioning it as a cornerstone of Cambrex’s future growth strategy.
“This groundbreaking marks an important milestone in our continued investment in U.S. manufacturing and in the Charles City site,” said Claudio Russolo, Chief Operating Officer and incoming CEO of Cambrex. “As the site celebrates its 100th anniversary, this expansion reflects both its long history and its continued importance to our future. By expanding commercial-scale capacity for both small molecule and peptide manufacturing, we are strengthening our ability to support customers as their programs advance from development through commercialization.”
The Charles City plant has long served as a critical hub for pharmaceutical intermediates and APIs, providing comprehensive services that span the entire product lifecycle—from early-stage clinical development to full-scale commercial production. By leveraging the site’s established technical expertise and existing infrastructure, the new expansion aims to bridge the gap between burgeoning customer demand and the technical requirements of modern drug manufacturing.
Industry experts note that as synthetic peptides and specialized small molecules become increasingly central to the global pharmaceutical pipeline, the demand for high-capacity, reliable domestic production has surged. Cambrex’s latest move is a direct response to these market pressures, ensuring that clients have access to the necessary scale to bring life-saving therapies to market efficiently.
Construction on the new expansion is already underway, with the project slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2028. Once fully operational, the added capacity is expected to further solidify Cambrex’s position as a premier provider in the CDMO landscape, reinforcing its commitment to high-quality, scalable pharmaceutical manufacturing in the United States.
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