Case study
Capital project delivery partner for GSK’s Ware-based biopharma company
Wood provides construction management for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, biologics, cell and gene therapy, and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facilities. From pre-construction planning and site logistics to start-up and CQV, our teams help clients manage safety, quality, schedule and regulatory requirements across complex capital projects.
Life sciences construction management services
Delivering a life sciences facility requires careful coordination of design, procurement, construction, commissioning and validation activities across multiple stakeholders. Wood supports clients throughout the project lifecycle, from early planning and site preparation through to start-up, completion and operational handover. By identifying risks early, establishing clear execution strategies and maintaining strong project controls, we help clients manage complex programmes with greater confidence.
Our teams combine practical construction expertise with digital planning tools to improve visibility and decision-making during project execution. We help clients coordinate contractors, suppliers and site activities, maintain quality standards and optimise construction sequencing to support safe, efficient delivery. This approach is particularly valuable on active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), biologics, cell and gene therapy, and fill-finish facilities, where construction activities must be carefully managed alongside stringent quality and regulatory requirements.
Integrated delivery across design, construction and CQV
Life sciences projects depend on close coordination between engineering, procurement, construction and validation teams. Wood brings these disciplines together from the earliest project phases, helping clients manage risk, maintain schedule certainty and support a smoother transition into start-up and operations.
Our construction management teams collaborate with specialists in Commissioning, Qualification and Validation (CQV), Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) manufacturing, Biotechnology & Biologics, Cell & Gene Therapy, Filling & Finishing and Automation & Control. This integrated approach helps clients address constructability, quality, commissioning and operational readiness considerations throughout design and construction, reducing handover risk and supporting a more predictable path to start-up.
Planning for construction, commissioning and start-up
Effective project delivery starts long before construction begins. Wood develops integrated delivery plans that coordinate engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and validation activities from the earliest project phases. Construction Work Packages (CWPs) play an important role in this approach, helping to define work scopes, sequence activities and align construction execution with project objectives, start-up planning and completion requirements. Through pre-construction planning, site logistics management and integrated project delivery, we help establish a clear framework for project execution from the outset.
Throughout construction, our teams apply project controls, construction quality processes, risk management and vendor and subcontractor management to maintain alignment across all phases of delivery. Digital tools, including Synchro 4D planning, can support visualisation of construction sequences and coordination of activities across the project lifecycle. Together, these approaches help project teams manage interfaces, maintain visibility of critical activities and support an efficient transition into start-up and completion.
Life sciences construction management services
Our life sciences construction management services span feasibility, design, procurement, construction management, start-up and CQV.
Providing robust, cost-effective, flexible, and compliant facilities and starting with the end goal in mind:
- Funding and permitting strategy
- Feasibility and investment case
- Site analysis and master planning
- Process definition
- Equipment selection
- Architectural modelling
- Process simulation
- Facility digitalisation
- Test fits and building capacity assessments
- Code and life safety analysis
- Sustainability / LEED solutions
Applying proven technology and the latest tools for seamless integrated design:
- Process architecture
- Process engineering
- Mechanical systems and clean utilities
- Instrumentation and control systems
- Electrical engineering
- Piping
- Plumbing
- Structural engineering
- Fire protection
- 3D modelling
- Computational flow dynamics
- Automation engineering
- Sustainability / LEED solutions
Leveraging our global supply chain capability and strong vendor and contractor relationships:
- Procurement strategy
- Contractor prequalification
- Contract negotiation and administration
- Vendor and contract management
- Purchasing
- Expediting
- Material management
- Logistics
- Supplier quality surveillance (SQS)
- Subcontracting
Simplifying the complicated:
- World-class safety
- Program integrator
- Integrated project delivery
- Start-up strategy
- Pre-construction permitting
- Construction work packages (CWP) / sequence
- Logistics plan
- Project controls
- Estimating
- Schedule and risk management
- Synchro 4D planning
- Earned value management / change management
- Start-up and completion
- Digital delivery
Bringing a highly qualified CQV team experienced in multiple types of processes:
- Requirements definition
- Design reviews / qualification
- Clinical quality management (CQM) / validation master planning (VMP)
- Risk assessments
- Program development
- Integrated scheduling
- Factory acceptance test (FAT) /Site acceptance test (SAT)
- CQV document development
- CQV execution
- Recertification / periodic review
- Standard operating procedures (SOP) development
- Punch list and deviation remediation and close out
- Corrective and preventative action (CAPA) close out
- Staff augmentation
- Current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) audits
- Training
- Decommissioning
Related expertise
Active pharmaceutical ingredients
Expert API production services: Safe, efficient, and compliant facilities for small molecule manufacturing. Global expertise, from design to CQV.
Biotechnology & Biologics
Trusted Life Sciences partner with decades of experience in cell culture, single-use systems and process design for drug substance processing
Cell & gene therapy
Accelerate cell & gene therapy market entry with flexible designs, next-generation manufacturing and expert services for advanced-therapy medicinal products
Facility automation, robotics and vision
Wood offers experienced engineering and intricate software to provide robotics, special purpose machines and controls for automating manufacturing facilities
Filling & Finishing
Expert filling & finishing solutions for Life Science projects. From design to CQV, we deliver tailored, efficient, and compliant facilities globally
Research & development laboratories
Wood delivers compliant research & development labs, pilot plants and biocontainment facilities (BSL2-4) for universities, healthcare and government
Sustainable design for Life Sciences facilities and processes
Wood offers sustainable design solutions for Life Sciences, balancing cGMP compliance with net-zero goals, delivering expert services throughout
