MEDICAL DEVICE AND LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY :
Manufacturing Performance: Facilities Consolidation and Technology Transfer
  Client:   A multi-billion dollar sector of one of the world’s largest firms, supplying medical devices, capital equipment, and pharmaceuticals internationally. Holds dominant #1 or #2 market share.
     
  Problem:   Within the Surgical Division, acquisition and rapid sales growth coupled with lack of an overall operations strategy led to redundant medical device facilities with cost, quality and delivery inefficiencies. The firm experienced repetitive activities, duplicated infrastructures, standalone legacy systems that would not integrate, differential compliance approaches, and lack of shared “best practices” performance across several U.S.-based manufacturing sites. Cost inefficiencies, quality inconsistencies, variable delivery, and compliance exposure risk predominated.
     
  Approach:   Create and execute a comprehensive approach to consolidate two western U.S. facilities into one existing Mid-Atlantic facility, resulting in one manufacturing “center of excellence.” The plan was to fully and consistently document all existing BOMs, processes, personnel training, equipment capabilities and parameters, packaging and sterility requirements, and facility infrastructure needs. It included “best practices” determination and application, leadership and organizational realignment, duplicated processes/finished goods during the initial move, cross-country integrated moves of key personnel, and transitional outplacement benefits for displaced labor. The plan addressed integrated manufacturing and warehousing I/T systems, consolidation into a comprehensive, fully compliant QA/QC system, inventory rationalization and cut-over, redundant asset disposition, and idle facility sales or lease disengagements. The recipient facility was expanded and existing operations optimized to receive in-bound technology transfers. Personnel were cross trained.
     
  Results:   Two high-cost, lesser performing West Coast facilities were eliminated. Supply chain was shortened and cycle times reduced across the manufactured goods spectrum, and some less critical operations were outsourced while improving quality. Headcount was reduced by approximately 145 net personnel, WIP and Finished Goods were reduced by over $4 million, and compliance problems were corrected. Mfg. and Warehousing I/T systems were integrated.
       
   
Return to Project Briefs View next Project Brief >>
 
About Us | Capabilities/Practices | Projects/Results | Our People |
News/Events | Publications | Clients | Careers | Contact Us | Home