As Lean manufacturing makes an increasingly bigger impact on pharmaceutical manufacturing and Life Science Product Companies in a wider sense, the terminology of Lean Enterprising is becoming more commonplace.
Traditionally the focus has been to initiate Lean manufacturing and specifically the elements surrounding the shop floor production systems that impact this. However, today the emphasis is more on a general holistic implementation which covers the whole business “enterprise” network.
As a result more integrated approaches now involve the inclusion if IT/IS systems and networks, production control systems, supply chain and supplier networks, compliance & regulatory systems and the use of the organization’s human resources..
Proper integration of these factors, where there is a focus on proper human resource development & their application to waste minimization, and an emphasis on customer driven production, is at the heart of the new 21st Century paradigm for the industry. It’s also the mantra of Lean pharmaceutical (Life Science) consultants as they prepare to influence the industry to perform in the modern market place.
With such an uptake in this philosophy, there should be an noticeable improvement in the industry’s ability to meet the demands of a global market place where price is driving many companies to transfer their operating units to China and elsewhere.
The next 5 years should be very interesting!
