Aphena Pharma Solutions has announced a $21 million expansion of its Solid Dose Division in Cookeville, Tennessee, with the acquisition of a 500,000-square-foot property, purpose-built for FDA manufacturing and packaging operations.
Aphena has begun renovation to transform the property into a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical packaging and distribution facility. The renovations will be completed by Feb. 1, 2021, with an August 2020 operations start at the new facility, where Aphena’s corporate headquarters will be located.
This acquisition, which will add 258,000 square feet to Aphena’s current Cookeville footprint, also represents the company’s expansion into biologics, cold chain storage and third-party logistics distribution.
“This new facility will make Aphena a top contender in the pharmaceutical contract service space, starting with over 12,000 pallets of cold chain storage capacity,” said Eric Allen, Aphena’s EVP of Sales. “Being able to offer turnkey packaging and distribution services for biologic products, plus expanding the current operations with newly innovated bottling and packaging lines, will continue to attract key pharmaceutical customers to the Middle Tennessee area.”
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The current operation expansion will allow Aphena to install 24 high-speed bottling lines and eight thermoform blister packaging lines. In addition, the 200,000-plus square feet of warehouse space provides a strong foundation for a new, third-party logistics program for current and future customers.
“This expansion is exciting news for Aphena, our customers and our communities,” said Aphena CEO Shawn Reilley. “The Solid Dose Division and recent Liquids Division expansions will establish Aphena’s position as one of the most diversified manufacturing and packaging companies in the pharmaceutical industry. These growth strategies will continue to offer our customers expanded project capabilities at every level, and it will create a very large employment opportunity, both in Cookeville and at our facility in Easton, Maryland.”