In addition to providing high-quality extraction machinery for the cannabis industry, how do you collaborate with licensed or pre-licensed operators during the design and construction phase of the facility to ensure that the extraction workflow complies with the relevant national and international pharmaceutical regulations?
When a licensed or pre-licensed operator begins planning a cannabis extraction facility, the most important decisions happen long before equipment is even installed. Designing a compliant, efficient, and future‐ready workflow requires understanding how regulations, production goals, and extract quality expectations intersect. Extraction is not a standardized process and each facility’s objectives determine the technology, layout, and quality controls needed to support pharmaceutical‐grade operations.
Since 2014, Decimal Engineered Systems has played a role during the design and construction phases. We collaborate as technical partners from an early stage, helping operators engineer workflows that are not only efficient but fully aligned with national and international pharmaceutical standards, including GMP and EU‐GMP.
Objective: Type of extract and throughput
The first consideration is always the type of extracts the facility aims to produce. Different extraction modalities serve different purposes. For operators focused on large‐scale biomass processing and high throughput, Ethanol is often the most practical option: its speed, volume capacity, and operational efficiency suit commercial environments where cost per gram matters.
For teams evaluating CO2, the decision often comes from long‐term operational strategy rather than short‐term yield.
From a product versatility standpoint, Hydrocarbon is the most common and desired extraction method used in North America. It offers a lower capital cost entry point compared to other technologies while delivering a high-quality end product exceptionally rich in terpenes and delicate volatiles. Today it is possible to find hydrocarbon systems that are engineered to be EU-GMP compliant.
Understanding this alignment between extraction goals and processing method is essential; choosing the wrong technology can create long‐term operational constraints.
Multi-step extraction lab (Automation and process analytics).
Once the extraction approach is defined, operators must think about the entire process ecosystem. Extraction is only one stage of a multi‐step manufacturing sequence.
Refinement steps are essential considerations. Decarboxylation, winterization/ dewaxing, distillation, solvent recovery, crystallization/ isolation, and chromatographic refinement all influence the facility’s layout, workflow, and compliance requirements.
The design and construction phases should therefore consider not just individual machines but how each step integrates into a GMP‐aligned, closed‐loop process with traceability, cleanliness, and repeatability built in.
Another key element operators should prioritize is automation and data. Modern extraction systems increasingly rely on automated controls to reduce operator variability, support validation, and enable true process repeatability, critical pillars of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Data logging, batch records, and process analytics not only enhance regulatory compliance but also improve profitability by identifying inefficiencies and optimizing throughput.
Support and compliance
Our early involvement with the client begins at the facility planning stage. We review process flow, room classifications, operator movement, hazardous‐area zoning, solvent storage, and HVAC/extraction requirements to ensure compatibility with EU-GMP, C1D1, and ATEX standards wherever relevant. Because all of our equipment is engineered to meet stringent regulatory expectations, we help operators design layouts and SOPs that minimize compliance risks long before equipment arrives on‐site.
To support that level of compliance, we provide a comprehensive technical documentation and validation package that guides operators through every stage of qualification. This includes a Validation Guide, Clean‐in‐Place (CIP) protocols, User Requirement Specifications (URS), Functional Design Specifications (FDS), Detailed Design Specifications (DDS), Design Qualifications(DQ), as well as Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT). In-person operators receive full Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ), and Performance Qualification (PQ) support to ensure the system is production‐ready and aligned with pharmaceutical documentation standards.
Support and operational readiness are essential considerations. Extraction facilities demand long‐term reliability and rapid responsiveness when issues arise. Operators benefit greatly from working with teams that offer installation, training, continuous remote monitoring, and a high level of post‐commissioning support. When equipment arrives fully compliant and the team guiding the project is integrated into the facility from design to start‐up, operators enter production far more smoothly and confidently.
For any operator planning an extraction lab, success depends on selecting the right process for the final goals, designing with regulatory expectations in mind, and partnering with experienced teams who understand how to transform equipment, workflow, and compliance into a cohesive, efficient, and profitable extraction ecosystem.
Joao Duarte
Business Developer (BD)
