From chemicals to biotech: successfully transforming the production plant and adopting a Lean program

Category:

Strategy

Context

As part of the transformation of a pharmaceutical site into a European center of excellence dedicated to the production of monoclonal antibodies, a leader in the sector has undertaken an in-depth overhaul of its production model and industrial excellence program. This transition involves some 700 employees (production, quality control, quality assurance, as well as management and support functions) and is based on two major challenges:

Finalizing the transformation of the production tool from traditional pharmaceuticals (chemistry) to biotechnology.
Structuring and anchoring a continuous improvement program, based on proven standards, to optimize operational performance and guarantee a skills base adapted to the demands of biotechnology.

Approach and methodology

Conducted around 15 interviews with key managers (production, management, quality control, planning, etc.) to gather their perspectives and identify key issues.
Carrying out a qualitative diagnosis of the site’s positioning using a specific evaluation grid, followed by a sharing of results and areas for improvement with project managers.
Development and deployment of dedicated action plans for quality control, continuous improvement and program management at management level. Set up weekly workshops with each manager to monitor progress and adjust actions if necessary.
Active participation in production routines, including daily meetings, to ensure operational follow-up and encourage the adoption of new practices.

Objective

Evaluate the degree of application of the internal operational excellence reference framework on the site, identify deviations from standards and propose an appropriate action plan.
Support the transformation of the main functions involved in the project – continuous improvement, planning, quality control, quality assurance and production – by integrating a Kaizen approach. Rethink project governance and reinforce team skills by providing methodological support to internal consultants and workshop managers to improve their practices.
Gradually roll out corrective actions and new methods to field teams through individual and group work sessions, as well as targeted training. Ensure regular follow-up and report progress to site management and the Industrial Excellence Program manager.

Results Achieved

Increased presence and visibility of the project among technicians and operators, encouraging buy-in and accelerating site transformation.
Implementation of an iterative approach to identify and evaluate continuous improvement initiatives (time savings, quality optimization, etc.), with full ownership of the approach by the engineers in charge of continuous improvement.
Acquisition of the fundamentals of industrial planning, facilitating smoother, more efficient management of operations.
Improved project governance, with clarification of responsibilities, greater commitment from managers and the introduction of a new project monitoring format.
Enhanced skills of the team of in-house consultants, enabling them to finalize the deployment of the project on site while gaining a better understanding of the challenges to be overcome.

Training

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