The Importance of Maintenance Performance in a Pharmaceutical Plant

The Importance of Maintenance Performance in a Pharmaceutical Plant

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest industries in the world, and over 45 percent of the global market is held by the United States, according to Statista. Pharmaceutical companies play a huge role in the lives of individuals everywhere. Many people have a negative view of the pharmaceutical industry, but the fact is, pharmaceutical companies have worked diligently to develop life-saving drugs. They have made people live longer, more fulfilling lives. European citizens, for example, are now able to live 30 years longer than they did a hundred years ago.

Pharmaceutical plants are not without their challenges, however. There are regulations that must be followed, there are economic pressures, costs are accelerating, and technology is advancing rapidly, which means a pharmaceutical plant must always be adapting and evolving. Given all of these obstacles, it can be difficult for a pharmaceutical plant to stay competitive.

GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMP) MUST BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES IN A PHARMACEUTICAL PLANT. IF THEY ARE NOT, IT CAN RESULT IN TRAGEDY.

There are many influences in the industry that demand higher quality, more efficient practices, greater industry collaboration, and superior manufacturing design. But as a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility advances, in order to stay competitive and cost-efficient, attention must be paid to the maintence performance.

While often overlooked, maintenance performance is crucial in many industries, but it is especially important for a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. One of the most important things to avoid in a pharma plant is contamination, which can easily occur if old equipment isn’t maintained properly.

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) must be followed at all times in a pharmaceutical plant. If they are not, it can result in tragedy. An example of this would be the outbreak of fungal meningitis in the United States in 2012 when a compounding pharmacy distributed contaminated vials to medical facilities in 23 different states. This led to 48 deaths and 720 patients that required treatment for fungal infections.

THE AVERAGE MANUFACTURER FACES 800 HOURS of DOWNTIME ANNUALLY.

To avoid such tragedies, effective cleaning and maintenance tasks must be performed. Whenever there is new equipment, maintenance procedures must be updated, and both cleaning and maintenance protocols must be followed strictly.

In addition to causing tragic contamination, improper maintenance can lead to unexpected downtime, which can cost a pharmaceutical plant quite a bit. Downtime is a problem that affects many different companies across a number of industries. The average manufacturer faces 800 hours of downtime annually. In the automotive industry, for example, this can cost (on average).