Within the next decade, the global pharmaceutical market is projected to surpass 2.5 trillion euros. Fueled by intensified research activity and new development methodologies, the steady rise comes from aggressive investment, scale, technological developments, and an increasing demand for new life-saving solutions. And while breakthrough therapies may begin with scientific discovery, they cannot reach patients without the engineered environments that make manufacturing them possible. This is Exyte’s role. Pharmaceutical companies discover and create the future of healthcare, while Exyte engineers, design and deliver the complex, high-performance facilities where those ideas become reality. Exyte is supporting clients to engineer what’s next.
In late 2024, with the acquisition of the established life sciences engineering specialist Pharmaplan, Exyte brought more than 1,000 additional experts across engineering, design, and project delivery to its Global Business Unit Biopharma and Life Sciences. Within just twelve months, Exyte completed the full integration of Pharmaplan, significantly expanding the footprint of its Biopharma and Life Sciences segment to more than 40 locations across 12 countries, positioning Exyte close to customers in all key pharma and biotech markets in Europe. Alongside additional headcount, Pharmaplan also brought deep technical expertise and long-standing client relationships, further strengthening Exyte’s position in one of the world’s most demanding industries.
From day one, teams collaborated seamlessly and with great enthusiasm, accelerating value for Exyte’s clients. Despite different systems, processes, and working styles, colleagues across both organizations immediately understood that collaboration was the most important factor in making the integration a success. This mindset quickly became available through joint projects within Europe but also across continents in Asia and the US.
Ilijas Hadzimejlic, Senior Vice President Commercial Biopharma and Life Sciences Continental Europe
“Clients today seek partners who can navigate complexity with confidence and deliver sustainable, long-term solutions,” says Ilijas Hadzimejlic, Senior Vice President Commercial Biopharma and Life Sciences Continental Europe. The integration means that Exyte now offers a broader range of global services combined with strong local presence in each region, further differentiating its position in the market. “What truly sets us apart is that, unlike our competitors, we do not stop at engineering. We are a one-stop shop partner, and we deliver the full scope from consulting and design through engineering, procurement, and construction [EPC]. This end-to-end capability is a unique offering in our industry. The addition of Pharmaplan adds to this, and we are already beginning to see the long-term value it creates for our clients and for Exyte.”
Dr. Susanne Rodler sits at the heart of this action. After an extensive career in life sciences, spanning research and medical sales for pharmaceutical companies through business acquisition at Pharmaplan, she now works to connect opportunity and expertise across Exyte’s Biopharma and Life Sciences organization. Based in Basel, Switzerland, a pharma hub in its own right, her role in business acquisition places her close to the decisions that shape where projects take place and how teams are mobilized to deliver them. From this vantage point that she has witnessed a noticeable broadening of Exyte’s project landscape and the way engineering talent is deployed.
Dr. Susanne Rodler, Director Business Acquisition Biopharma and Life Sciences Continental Europe
Rodler remarks: “Pharmaplan’s longstanding client relationships with some of the biggest players in the industry are now developing within Exyte’s broader global platform.” She says this has opened new doors to engage in larger, more complex projects across the globe, and has shown that when all is said and done, what emerged with the integration of Pharmaplan into Exyte is truly a combination of expertise and strengths.
Engineers who once focused primarily on regional work within Europe are now also being utilized on major international projects, including a large-scale, state-of-the-art facility in Singapore backed by a 1.2-billion-euro investment by a global pharmaceutical giant. Exyte’s EPC scope on the project spans full civil, structural and architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, instrumentation and controls, process technology, equipment procurement, and construction management. Teams in Switzerland are also supporting feasibility and delivery work for a German pharmaceutical player expanding into the US market.
“Exyte partners on some of the largest pharmaceutical projects and chemical active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facilities in Europe, working with some of the biggest names in the industry across the globe,” Rodler smiles. “That speaks for itself.”
Specialized expertise is becoming increasingly critical to how facilities are designed and eventually operated. Few roles illustrate this more clearly than that of Jasmina Wirsich, Subject Matter Expert for Sustainability within Exyte’s Biopharma and Life Sciences organization.
Jasmina Wirsich, Subject Matter Expert Sustainability
With a background in environmental and sustainability management and consulting on complex large-scale projects, she brings valuable expertise that has strengthened Exyte’s capabilities following the integration of Pharmaplan. Her work spans across the sustainability landscape from regulatory expectations to practical engineering. She supports clients to address their environmental performance and embed future ready solutions into their facility design.
Wirsich brings a holistic perspective shaped by global sustainability regulations, client strategies, and the realities of project execution. Her everyday looks a bit like connecting the world of sustainability to the world of engineering across Exyte’s global portfolio. “Sustainability requirements are evolving across industries,” she says. “I work with clients to anticipate these sustainability requirements and changes, and support to consider them early in project and engineering decisions, helping to improve outcomes and create long-term value for both the client and the future of the planet.”
Engineering a future‑ready modular mobile data center
Exyte has developed a mobile data center that combines modular construction with high‑density two‑phase immersion cooling. Built and commissioned offsite, the containerized unit can be transported and deployed quickly where computing capacity is needed most. Designed for demanding environments, the concept shows how high‑performance computing can be delivered efficiently without permanent infrastructure.
Across high‑tech manufacturing, data infrastructure and life sciences, Exyte works at the point where ideas meet reality. Engineering what’s next means translating emerging technologies into environments that operate reliably and adapt to changing requirements. It is about creating solutions that are ready for what clients need now, and resilient enough for what they will need tomorrow.
