 |
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY :
Six Sigma / Process Improvement |
|
| |
Client: |
|
A
major supplier of pharmaceutical raw materials with a dominant share
of the market. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
Problem: |
|
Rapid
growth in demand and drive to reduce costs produced a need to increase
capacity, become more efficient, reduce inventories, and improve delivery
time to customers. There was also a strong need to work in more efficient
ways which included increased use of teamwork. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
Approach: |
|
Tunnell
worked with the client's manufacturing staff to create a continuous
improvement process based on the use of Six Sigma methodology. The
first wave of improvement included ten improvement projects worth
$1.7million. Ten members of the professional staff were trained in
the Six Sigma methodology at the Green Belt level and successfully
completed their projects in a 4-8 month period. Each project involved
a team of 2-4 people in addition to the Green Belt, so the plant workforce
learned the art and science of teamwork. Improving process capability
and control was a key element of a number of the projects. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
Results: |
|
All
of the projects produced bottom-line savings and improved customer
satisfaction through reduced delivery times. Financial improvements
were achieved through:
- Increased capacity
- Reduced inventory
- Improved process capability (Cpk)
- Shorter batch release times
- Reduction of process failures
- Waste reduction
- Identification of higher performing raw materials
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|