GlaxoSmithKline Speeds Up Batch Release Time: A Study in Digital Transformation
Company Size
1,000+
Region
- America
- Europe
Country
- United Kingdom
- United States
Product
- Aspen MES solutions
- Aspen InfoPlus.21
- Aspen Production Execution Manager
Tech Stack
- AspenTech software
- Plant automation software (DCS)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Device Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Pharmaceuticals
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Manufacturing System Automation
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a science-led global healthcare company that researches and develops a broad range of innovative medicines and brands. The company has manufacturing facilities in over 70 sites worldwide, with the goal of consistently delivering outstanding quality, service, and value to patients and consumers with zero defects. The sheer volume of GSK’s business is enormous. Multiple packaging lines handle upwards of 10,000 batches per year, with each batch record including over 1,000 manual entries – over 10 million manual record entries per year. The elapsed time for preparation and review for each batch is 10 days.
The Challenge
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global healthcare company, was facing challenges with its batch production record and associated workflows. The company was dealing with a massive volume of business, with multiple packaging lines handling upwards of 10,000 batches per year, each batch record including over 1,000 manual entries. This resulted in over 10 million manual record entries per year. The preparation and review time for each batch was 10 days. GSK wanted to review the structure of its batch production record and associated workflows as part of a continuous improvement process. The goal was to reduce batch review time, which would result in faster batch cycle time, higher throughput at the production facility, and faster cash-to-cash cycle time.
The Solution
GSK adopted Aspen MES solutions to reduce manual effort and speed up batch release time. AspenTech was selected for this process due to integration with other solutions, such as Aspen InfoPlus.21 and GSK’s existing plant automation software (DCS). The pilot project was a resounding success, reducing order preparation time by 95% and record review time by over 50%. Aspen Production Execution Manager creates and maintains electronic records automatically as the batch moves through the production process, reducing manual effort while keeping the SOP visible. In addition, a thorough review of the audit process revealed that GSK could significantly reduce the amount of information required to support a batch. The cycle time for order preparation has now been reduced by 95% and record review reduced by 50%, enabling operators to execute much faster than before.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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