The perfect remedy for Pfizer

Posted on 3 Oct 2012 by The Manufacturer

Global pharmaceutical company, Pfizer has doubled production at its Havant site in a year while generating savings of over £1.5 million.

The efficiency improvements have come thanks to a business improvement partnership with consultancy Oliver Wight which has awarded the site two Class A milestone awards.

The first of these milestones, for Capable Integrated Business Planning, was awarded just seven months into Pfizer Havant’s work programme with Oliver Wight. Ian Morris, Planning and Customer Relations Manager believes introducing a stable Master Production Schedule (MPS) was a major step forwards. “When we started out levels of performance were as low as 5%; we’re now consistently above 95%. The first 100% was beautiful; people were really proud.”

Pfizer Havant packs and distributes medicines that immunise children against pneumococcal disease and also treat severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Its improvement drive has not only doubled distribution volume, increased the site’s product portfolio and allowed the organisation to exceed customer expectations; it has also produced significant savings. Inventory obsolesce has reduced by 40% and the formulation of a new stable shipping schedule is expected to reduce the plant’s freight budget by 10%.

2.7 million people in Britain and 40 million people around the world take Pfizer medicines every day. The site at Havant, which employs 320 staff, began working with Oliver Wight after seeing the success of the Class A programme at Pfizer’s site in Freiberg, Germany.

The next stage in Pfizer Havant’s business improvement campaign with Oliver Wight works towards accreditation in Capable Product and Services.