Background
This biotechnology giant operates at the forefront of bioscience, advanced pharmaceutical products, cutting-edge equipment, and consumables. The company is committed to delivering life-saving therapies, including gene therapy products, with annual revenue in the billions and a workforce of thousands worldwide. Faced with significant operational challenges, the company sought to align its growth strategy with employee development, embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Challenge:
➢ Operational Inefficiencies: Gene therapy and pharmaceutical sites encountered production delays and inefficiencies, impacting product availability and customer satisfaction.
➢ High Costs and Waste: Complex manufacturing processes led to increased operational costs ~ 22% more than the yearly budget and batch quality-related waste.
➢ Lack of Standardized Problem-Solving Framework: Teams lacked consistent methodologies to address inefficiencies and quality issues, resulting in reactive problem-solving approaches.
➢ Skill Gaps Among Employees: Employees are required to upskill in Lean Six Sigma methodologies to enhance their ability to drive process improvements effectively.
➢ Siloed Teams and Limited Collaboration: Cross-functional collaboration was limited, impeding the ability to identify and resolve systemic issues.
Implementation
➢ Six Sigma Training and Coaching Program: Delivered targeted training programs for more than 38 Blue and Green Belt candidates.
Focused on equipping candidates with tools to identify, analyze, and eliminate process inefficiencies.
➢ Customized Process Improvement Projects: Each candidate led a real-world improvement project addressing specific pain points in production, quality, and other processes. Projects spanned cost reduction, cycle time improvement, and waste elimination initiatives.
➢ Employee Development Framework: Created a roadmap for continuous skill development, aligning employee goals with organizational objectives. Integrated Six Sigma methodologies into day-to-day operations to foster a culture of problem-solving
and collaboration
➢ Cross-Functional Collaboration: Established cross-departmental teams to share best practices and align improvement efforts.
Conducted regular workshops to encourage open communication and collective problem-solving.
➢ Enhanced Data-Driven Decision-Making: Leveraged advanced analytics and visualization tools to identify trends, measure success, and sustain improvements.
Results
➢ Enhanced Employee Capabilities: Trained and coached over 38 Six Sigma Blue and Green Belt candidates, empowering them to lead
impactful improvement projects. Developed a pipeline of skilled problem solvers capable of driving sustained operational excellence.
➢ Cost and Time Savings: $2.65M cost savings were achieved through waste reduction and process optimization. Reduced production cycle times, ensuring faster delivery of life-saving therapies to customers.
➢ Improved Quality and Efficiency: Improved overall product quality and compliance with regulatory standards.
Achieved solid and measurable improvements in production efficiency, fostering customer satisfaction and trust. Sites achieved the highest Safety, Production, and Quality KPIs of the past 4 years.
➢ Cultural Shift: Fostered a culture of continuous improvement, empowering employees to contribute actively to organizational growth. The employees presented Project results, fostering a connection between the sites, corporate leadership, and the broader workforce.
“This initiative has been transformative for our sites. Training and coaching employees in Six Sigma have
equipped them with the skills to solve problems proactively and drive meaningful change.” – Senior Director,
Pharmaceutical Operations
“The training was an eye-opener for me. I now feel confident tackling complex challenges and leading
impactful projects that make a difference for our patients.” – Green Belt Candidate
“Integrating Six Sigma into our operations has improved our processes and created a culture of innovation and collaboration across the organization.” – Global Head of Quality
