Hitting pharma costs where it hurts

The pharmaceutical industry is going through a period of almost unprecedented transformation. Drug patent lives are shortening, but the expense of developing new products continues to rise. What have traditionally been seen as predictably stable and profitable lines of business are rapidly becoming anything but.

Perhaps for the first time, pharmaceutical companies are having to focus on the costs associated with manufacturing. Maximising the efficiency of plant and skilled labour now requires total visibility of production processes and the ability to create detailed forward plans and day-to-day schedules - essential ingredients for those manufacturers striving to maximise profitability.

Planning for efficient product requires not only the timely availability of materials and production capacity, but also the presence of the right people with the right skills at the right place and time. Balancing capacities and capabilities with market requirements, understanding what to make, where and when, is therefore critical to maintaining margins.

But the complexities of planning are increasing and spreadsheets are no longer adequate for the task.

Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) systems are available that can offer an affordable, viable and functional alternative. Such systems have been successfully implemented in many enterprises from global pharmaceutical majors to smaller manufactures and sub-contractors as well as in other process industries that face similar changes.

For organisations looking to get the most from their processes, cutting costs and boosting efficiency, download our recent whitepaper, ' Hitting pharma where it hurts'