The Challenge
Enhancing Market Delivery amid Surging Demand
In a landscape where market responsiveness is paramount, our client was determined to enhance the delivery of a high-demand, off-patent product to maintain its significant market share. The strategy called for a substantial capital investment aimed not only at streamlining manufacturing processes but also at reaping improved cost benefits. This dual focus—enhancing production while countering costs—demonstrates a commitment to operational excellence and fiscal prudence.
Before BUNKA: What They Already Tried
Initiatives and Interventions Prior to Our Involvement
Facing the imperative to optimize, our client had rallied resources toward their semi-automated packaging operation. Analyzing line speeds, resolving bottlenecks, and assessing the quality of incoming components were among the initial measures. They employed conventional operational tactics to accelerate line efficiencies, reinforced by added manpower and advancements in automation. A significant redesign of the workflow was undertaken. All this occurred under the shadow of escalating regulatory demands, necessitating compliance without surrendering cost efficiency for a facility not originally designed to meet such expectations.
Observation: What We Saw
A Snapshot of Operational Realities
We observed a team of consummate professionals underscored by a collective recognition of the crucial pace of manufacturing. However, a schism in cross-functional understanding surfaced—roles and responsibilities lacked definition, leading to misalignment between quality and operational units. This deficiency hampered contributions to the overarching objectives and fostered inefficiencies, particularly in the neglect of the end-to-end process, including testing, supply chain involvement, and incoming/materials receipt.
BUNKA Deep Insight: What We Learned
Critical Realizations for Transformation
Our discerning analysis unearthed a pivotal insight: the goal of streamlining throughput while maintaining staffing levels, reducing cost and quality was perceived as unattainable by many operators and management team members. This was despite the fact that everyone was committed to achieving the goal for the betterment of the site and patients. An operational overhaul was required to escape the inertia of procedural insularity.
Strategic Action: What We Did
Implementing a Tailored Approach for Long-Term Excellence
By dissecting the larger operational workflow into manageable segments, BUNKA centralized focus and refined objectives for discrete process elements. Adopting an anthropological lens, we pinpointed specific needs within each process segment and formulated a coherent performance improvement program. These programs were designed to improve alignment across departments to ensure a cross-functional mindset and approach to moving towards the goal and to problem-solve along the way.
We helped our client design and communicated messaging to employees at every level, from hourly workers to senior management. They were engaged with a clear message clarifying their individual and collective roles in achieving the shared vision.
Responsibility matrices (RACIs) were formulated to delineate roles clearly, and an effective communication channel was established for reporting progress up to the senior management.
Results: The BUNKA Impact
Quantifying the Transformation
Post-intervention, the facility saw a substantive 55% increase in vial output within an 8-month timespan—a testament to the efficacy of our methods. Reliance on a single supplier for critical components was no longer a risk as effective sourcing resulted in a tripling of the number of suppliers. Cost efficiency was astounding, with an 18% reduction within three months, escalating to 40% by the eighth month. Cross-functional alignment substantially improved, enhancing operational coherence and engagement at every level.
Our client’s site transitioned into a paragon for efficiency and employee integration, serving as an exemplar for the entire organization to emulate.
In the crucible of complexity, BUNKA delivers streamlined solutions that not only meet today’s needs but also forge a resilient path forward. Embodying our DO BETTER, STAY BETTER philosophy, we help fabricate the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing with expertise, insight, and actionable intelligence.
