DIGITIZATION OF CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

 

Digitization of any manufacture industry is a key step to any progress of the production process. The process of digitization includes both increased use of robotics, automatization solutions and computerization, thereby allowing to reduce costs, to improve efficiency and productivity, and to be flexible to changes. Pharmaceutical Industry (PI) has however been resistant to digitalization, mainly due to fair experience and complexity of the entailed development and manufacture processes. Nevertheless, there is a clear need to digitalize PI as the demand in both traditional and new drugs is constantly growing. Chemical companies , on the other hand, expect to invest 5% of their annual revenue, on average, in digital operations solutions over the next 5 years, and 75% predict that they’ll have reached advanced digitalization by 2035. The manufacturing industry as a whole has a digital maturity profile at 42.2%. The present article by S Epichlorohydrin (67843-74-7) manufacturer India explores the uses, best practices and roadmaps for digitalizing the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

 Digitization: Pharma 4.0

A look at how technology is impacting the pharma industry

Progressive technological advancements will impact the pharmaceutical industry. Pharma and biotech companies must prepare themselves for the future in a focused manner, including the technological advancements of digitalization. Their partners such as contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) have to follow these developments in the same way. Digitalization of PI, and CDMO precisely, should be tightly related to the main aspects of Good Manufacture Practice (GMP), and, to succeed in PI digitalizing requires constant focus on GMP.  By doing so early in the process, they have the opportunity to get involved in their customer’s processes at ground level and be a valued partner. But how can digitalization be implemented successfully in a company?

Quality first, especially in the era of Pharma 4.0

In the field of high-value injectable products, quality, in particular, is the first and foremost requirement. This should come as a surprise to no one,  since patients are actually being injected with the very drugs that a CDMO manufactures for its pharma and biotech customers. Therefore, overall, every outcome resulting from 4.0 initiatives that has a positive impact on establishing a stable high product quality will be seen as a benefit. As a consequence, suitable process performance is achieved, a set of controls are established and the body of knowledge is continually expanded. Because one of the main benefits of pharma 4.0 technologies is to increase the quality of business processes and to make them both safer and more efficient, one approach to getting there is to view numerous single pharmaceutical production steps as a whole, with a focus on the complete value chain and potentially the whole supply chain up to the application.

However, digitalization can hardly be implemented in one step—it needs to be understood as a comprehensive program. Several subprojects lead to an increasing connection of the process steps within an organization. Particularly within the pharmaceutical industry, this poses special challenges for a company. Processes are well-established and recognized by the regulatory authorities and even small changes must be newly validated. However, when these steps are implemented successfully, it presents significant potential for ever-higher quality and additional efficiency.

Smarter and more efficient processes

In a feasibility study, an internal Vetter project team evaluated whether the current paper-intensive processes could be replaced by an app, thus increasing efficiency in terms of quality and costs. The study yielded a clear result—the procedure can be digitalized. As a consequence, every Visual Inspection workstation was equipped with a tablet computer and staff members now enter their inspection findings directly into the ERP system via an SAPUI5 app, making current and future processes even more efficient, safer and digitally traceable. With the support of an IT service provider, the company created a digital environment in which all processes related to data recording and batch analysis are integrated. The apps were developed in a follow-up project.

At a glance, the new procedure offers easy recording, automated transmission and consolidation, as well as the ability to analyze immediately. Today, approximately thirty different applications are available for several process versions of visual inspection including manual and semi-automatic visual inspection.

 

How to efficiently be prepared for a 4.0 future?

How can companies prepare for the challenges of digitalization on a superordinate level? Thinking ‘outside the box’ and being open-minded for diverse promising approaches for today and the future is essential. This preparation ranges from the creation of innovation platforms, to close cooperation with educational institutions, associations, and research institutes. In addition, future-oriented companies should be seeking close relations with players from different industries who experience similar challenges, thus encouraging a mutual exchange of information. And, one must never forget a core activity—maintaining the continuous engagement and dialogue with customers and other valuable parties throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain.

As illustrated, Pharma 4.0 is a topic which affects an entire company. Thus, it is critical to include all employees in this journey from the very start. By doing so, any market player can actively support the process of helping to lead the pharma and biotech industry into a prosperous era while keeping in mind the benefit for patients worldwide. 

The Future Of Digitalization In The Chemical Industry

Digital transformation in chemicals

From novel process technologies to sustainable plastics, the chemical industry is in the midst of profound change. Now, digital transformation in chemicals is presenting immense, largely unexplored new potential to not only increase efficiencies but to help companies design novel products and processes.

Achieving the potential of digital transformation in chemicals

Advances in networks and sensors, data availability and processing, and engineering and material technologies all hold considerable potential for expanding efficiency and productivity in the chemical industry. But digital transformation in chemicals also presents significant opportunities to increase innovation in products and solutions. For example, digital crowdsourcing platforms can be used for ideating on how to lower the carbon footprint throughout a product life cycle.

To achieve the potential of digital transformation, chemical companies need a common framework for assessing current state, defining the desired future state, and mapping out specific steps on the digital journey. The digital maturity stage of the company will guide strategic decisions and action steps in five dimensions critical for growth:

·         User experience

·         Talent enablement

·         Asset reliability and performance

·         Material system innovation

·         Ecosystems

A framework will help teams assess how far along the company is on the digital maturity spectrum and what steps are required to reach the intended destination on the digital journey.

The future of digital in chemicals: Three pillars

Chemical companies preparing for the future will succeed based on how they perform and respond today in three key areas:

1.      Growth and innovation: Disruptions in automotive, construction, agriculture, and other end-use industries are creating opportunities and challenges for the chemicals industry. For example, while relatively novel technologies like additive manufacturing, currently being demonstrated but not fully commercialized in many applications from engineering parts to house building, might create a need for new materials, at the same time, they may reduce the consumption of traditional chemicals and materials. Most chemical enterprises are already reevaluating future growth strategies, including looking at digital value-added services to supplement existing product offerings.

2.      Performance and cost optimization: The next stage of using digital to optimize performance should go well beyond the plant and readily integrate with physical assets. For example, new digital technologies like blockchain and predictive analytics can be readily integrated with existing Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure to enable track-and-trace capabilities. New process technologies like crude-oil-to-chemicals have already been deployed in some refinery-scale plants.

3.      Sustainability and the circular economy: To address regulatory restrictions on single-use plastics and microplastics, chemicals companies are working with their clients to introduce new products, invest in recycling technologies, as well as incorporate renewable and recyclable materials in their growing product portfolio. Chemical manufacturers will need to bring together stakeholders for product innovation and technology commercialization, with a redesign mindset.

CONCLUSION:

 

Digital technology is being used to streamline processes of chemicals and pharmaceutical industry production activities, and ultimately improve returns. In the chemical industry, digital technology is the change agent responsible for modernizing the chemical and Pharmaceutical industry and addressing the needs of the 2018 customer. Adigital transformation is taking shape across the chemical industry. The digital transformation is well worth it. In fact, cost-per-lead can fall by up to 50% when chemical companies employ digital starategies, and companies that employ digital strategies are forecast to see growth at twice the industry.