Cost Reduction in a Pharmaceutical Industry: Application of DMAIC Tools to Improve the Preventive Maintenance Process for Effective Job Plans and Maintenance Frequencies

Abstract

Pharmaceutical Company LCPR is committed to achieve their vision through a cultural adoption of continuous improvement. An opportunity has been identified and is aligned with the company continuous improvement strategy. With the increased emphasis within the pharmaceutical industry on business productivity through the application of Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC Tool – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), there is a need to provide a harmonized project for maintenance productivity improvement. Currently, facility technicians in this pharmaceutical industry are highly involved in nonvalue added activities such as; PMs (preventive maintenances) cancelation, unnecessary tasks within the job plans and there is no proper measurement of the effectiveness of their preventive maintenances (monthly average). There is a significant cost reflected in the direct labor, lower response to manufacturing needs, proactive use of technician labor time and current job plans. The implementation of DMAIC tool will have impact on labor cost avoidance, cancelled preventive maintenances, current maintenance frequencies and job plans executions. Key Terms – Cost Avoidance, DMAIC, Improvement, Maintenance.