Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC has selected Cyma Builders as the EPCM lead for multiple facility projects in Lenoir, NC. Exela, a developer and manufacturer of proprietary and generic sterile injectable products, first engaged Cyma in summer 2024 for a new Syringe Manufacturing facility.
The project involves converting a 120,000 SF former furniture and fabric manufacturing plant into a state-of-the-art syringe production facility. The initial phase will include two syringe manufacturing lines, two molding rooms, and supporting spaces such as labs, offices, gowning and locker rooms, a break room, and a warehouse. Future expansion plans include up to six syringe manufacturing lines. This fast-track project aims to launch operations in early 2026.
Beyond the new facility, Exela has also tasked Cyma with leading major infrastructure upgrades, filling line improvements, and building expansions across other Lenoir sites. Cyma is currently advancing through the design phase, with construction staffing planned for the second half of 2025 and into 2026.
Cyma Builders was onboarded to execute a fast-tracked Design-Build Lab Project to support the PC&D group’s relocation from Fort Washington to Malvern. The project was highly schedule-driven to meet the business segregation deadline of Kenvue from Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. A purchase order for enabling activities was received in late March 2024, with design continuing through the summer and the new M7 suite scheduled for turnover by the end of 2024.
To clear the M7 Suite for construction, the Avantor group—using M7 as a storage and operational hub—had to be relocated. Site leadership designated M10 as Avantor’s new location, a building under TSA oversight. A design-assist approach was implemented to segregate the TSA Warehouse using a pre-approved floor-to-deck cage bisecting the racking system. The layout also incorporated double doors with clearance for Avantor’s forklift, a forklift charging station, and a security package. Securing TSA approval for these modifications required significant coordination from Cyma Builders. With the warehouse completed, Avantor vacated M7 in late July 2024.
While the design team focused on critical path packages—including long-lead equipment, demolition, and underground/structural/IFP—construction mobilized at M7 to begin demolition. The absence of as-built drawings and visible cleanouts necessitated a video scope through a toilet to map underground piping. Findings prompted major sanitary layout changes, implemented by late August 2024. Attention then shifted to reinforcing the roof deck to support four new Trane AHUs, an exhaust fan, and a Condair Steam Generator. Safety concerns arose when lead paint was discovered on the existing deck, complicating welding operations. Crews wore respirators, containment was built, and negative air pressure was established before proceeding with welds, limiting other trades’ progress through September. Once weld inspections were passed, MEP trades and carpenters worked six 10-hour shifts per week through project completion. The PC&D group successfully relocated to M7 at the turn of 2025, though the project presented several challenges.
Key Challenges & Solutions
- Roof Access & Edge Protection – Lack of existing edge protection delayed access due to site safety coordination.
- Sprinkler System Hydraulics – M7, located at the end of the complex’s sprinkler main, faced a hydraulic shortage. Cyma collaborated with Genesis and FM to adjust the layout and reduce piping size, avoiding the need for a new service.
- Fire Code Compliance – Cyma worked with the East Whiteland Fire Marshal to eliminate a 200-lb pressure test that would have impacted adjacent tenants.
- Flooring Change – A last-minute switch from sheet vinyl to an epoxy Resuflor system disrupted MEP trades due to its five-coat application, moisture mitigation undercoat, and 72-hour cure time.
- Ductwork Compliance – Existing ductwork initially marked for retention was found to have interior insulation, violating J&J standards. Full remediation was required.
- Energy Code Compliance – Existing CMU walls failed to meet energy code requirements, necessitating insulation and furring out sections with electrical feeders and panels.
Despite these obstacles, the project was delivered on schedule, ensuring PC&D’s timely relocation to the new suite.
