Laurus Synthesis Inc., a division of Laurus Labs, one of India's top 10 chemistry providers, will open its first United States facility at Cummings Properties' 12 Cabot Rd. location. The 11,000 s/f site is a 70/30 split of laboratory and office space. According to Laurus Synthesis vice president of operations Kevin Duffield, location and cost were key factors in the decision to locate in Woburn, a suburb about 10 miles north of Cambridge and downtown Boston at the interchange of I-93 and I-95 (Rte. 128). "We want to be near Cambridge with its large pharmaceutical development community," said Duffield. "Cummings Properties designed and retrofitted a very well-equipped space for us at less than half the cost of comparable space in Cambridge." This international venture had been in the works since last summer, pending approval of funding. Cummings Properties leasing director Derek Cook worked behind the scenes for months to finalize the details of the lease and construction with Duffield and Stuart Needleman, president of Laurus Synthesis, as well as Juliette Reiter of Cushman & Wakefield, who represented Laurus in the transaction. "Once we got the green light from Laurus Synthesis, our in-house construction and design teams got to work, tailoring the space to specifically suit its needs," Cook said. The biggest renovation was the addition of multiple chemistry hoods and other equipment that required customized venting and ductwork. Duffield reported that the firm has plans to hire recent graduates from MIT and other institutions in and around Boston that are educating the next generation of chemistry talent. Laurus Synthesis will begin operations in Woburn with between 15 and 20 employees, primarily scientists. Cook noted that he has already talked with Laurus Synthesis about the potential for growth. As a 45-year-old firm, Cummings Properties operates 10 million s/f of commercial space in 10 suburban Boston communities. "We appreciate the flexibility that Cummings Properties offers us to expand in place and elsewhere in the Cummings portfolio," said Duffield. Laurus Synthesis Inc. will provide analytical and chemistry process development support to pharmaceutical firms that are preparing new medicines for market. In addition, the parent organization, Laurus Labs, provides drug substance manufacturing to firms at any point in the product life cycle. Cummings Properties' 10 million s/f of prime space accommodates offices, healthcare facilities, laboratories, retail storefronts, warehouses, co-working spaces, executive suites, and more. With a portfolio of this size and variety, the firm can meet almost any commercial real estate need from 150 s/f to 300,000 s/f. Its in-house experts in design, construction, and property management offer "one-stop shopping" for leasing clients.