Pharmaceutical automation expenditures growing

PHARMACEUTICAL manufacturing is evolving from a high margin, large volume, make-to-stock and supply-driven operation to a price sensitive, small volume, flexible, make-to-order, personalised and value-driven services operation, according to ARC Advisory Group.

With limited available capital, equipment and talented human assets, maximising asset utilisation and return on assets is becoming vital to future success and survival. Companies are building manufacturing cultures that foster innovation and teamwork while utilising common tools, technologies and standards that deliver added value and financial benefit to their businesses.

“The pharmaceutical industry is in rapid transition from a supply-driven market to a demand- and service-driven market, where manufacturing efficiency and responsiveness will play a critical role in future success,” said Asish Ghosh, author of ARC’s new Pharmaceutical Industry Automation Worldwide Outlook.

Leading suppliers are keenly aware of the quickening pace of IT adoption in the building automation systems (BAS) market and are working hard to expand strategic differentiators to improve competitive advantage over peers.

ARC expects BAS to expand in functionality to fit a broader range of applications, from the largest enterprises to more focused solutions that can grow in functionality as companies increase investments.

Regulatory requirements in the life sciences and food markets are fuelling significant investments in integrated BAS solutions.

Companies in the life sciences industries are realising the importance of integrated BAS to meeting the requirements of 21 CFR Part 11, the electronic-recordkeeping requirements imposed by the Food & Drug Association (FDA) in the US. Integrated BAS solutions significantly reduce the cost and time to achieving and maintaining regulatory compliance for manufacturers in the life sciences market, according to ARC. Key areas of cost savings include reduced project engineering, training, documentation and maintenance costs.

Current manufacturing, regulatory and technology deployment activities are placing additional emphasis on patient safety.

However, the growth of counterfeit and grey market drugs, the recent exposure of a limited drug manufacturing and delivery system capacity, increased regulatory and customer requirements and an increased number of litigations continue to require deployment of additional technology that is affecting production, business operations and supply chain processes. These deployments include product authentication, tracking and tracing with barcode and RFID technologies, and anti-counterfeit measures in packaging and product formulation.

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