The race to produce an effective vaccine against COVID-19 has been one of the most publicized manufacturing feats of our time. With the virus spreading rapidly across the world, pharmaceutical manufacturers were tasked with producing the vaccines at warp speed once they were approved. Now, with about one-third of all Americans fully vaccinated, it’s safe to say these companies are delivering on their promises. In March, President Biden announced the US will have enough vaccine doses for every American adult by the end of May, a full two months earlier than initially anticipated.
Despite the inherent challenges of trying to mass-produce a brand-new vaccine, these manufacturers have managed to outperform expectations. This accomplishment has shown what is possible in the medical field, but it has also uncovered unique strategies within the manufacturing world. In the future, we expect to see plants start adopting these effective procedures, which we’ll analyze below, to make production as efficient as possible.
Keep communication open across all sites.
During the COVID-19 vaccine production process, we’ve seen an increased need for communication across all manufacturing sites involved. To keep the rollout moving as quickly as possible, much of the process was split up among plants across the country. For example, Pfizer has utilized plants across the US and the world to produce their vaccine. The raw materials are produced in St. Louis, then the mRNA drug substance is created and purified in Massachusetts, and finally the product must be shipped to Michigan to be finished. When the Pfizer vaccine is shipped, it must also be kept at a very low temperature with dry ice and heat monitors to preserve the active ingredients. With these many moving components, it’s been essential for all sites to stay in constant communication to keep their processes coordinated so no critical steps are skipped or mistimed.
Even if your product doesn’t require such strict instructions, your organization should employ open and rapid communication to keep production moving efficiently. When delays or changes happen, updates should be sent swiftly to everyone in the organization who may need to know. The people responsible for the next step in the process can make the needed adjustments to ensure as little time and resources are wasted as possible. Manufacturers that are able to coordinate and react to changes in real time will be well-prepared to meet customer needs and demands in the years to come.
Sacrifice short-term gains for long-term benefits.
In many cases, slowing or stopping manufacturing production for a short period in order to increase production in the future can be a very worthwhile sacrifice. As we look to Pfizer’s vaccine process again, they decided to temporarily pause production at their plant in Belgium to upgrade their factory lines and increase the overall production capacity. This decision will allow Pfizer to produce 2 billion total vaccine doses this year, which is a massive increase from their original estimate of 1.3 billion doses. Even though they had to delay the process upfront, they will ultimately be able to produce a higher yield in less time.
It’s natural for manufacturers to hesitate to disrupt the flow of production, because each second is valuable at any plant. Reducing your facility’s output even for a short period is no small sacrifice. However, if the pause in production will improve efficiency and total product output going forward, this kind of upgrade will be exponentially beneficial for your organization in the long run. If your organization is hesitant to take this approach, use data to find the break-even date, or the amount of time it will take for the increased output to make up for the losses incurred while production was paused. This can help determine if a short-term stoppage is plausible for your plant.
Form mutually beneficial relationships with other manufacturers.
There are a number of manufacturers currently producing the vaccines now, and each organization has been able to scale up production by forming partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies. For example, after receiving approval for their single-dose vaccine, Johnson & Johnson enlisted Merck to help produce a larger supply that can be quickly shipped out to communities. By spreading the work around to other facilities that are equipped to produce vaccines, the brands are able to push their product out faster and the partners are able to get a piece of this valuable work.
Other manufacturers should look to mutually beneficial partnerships as they consider efficient changes to their process. Some may hesitate to outsource production of their own products, but this strategy often helps organizations create more product and save their time. Contract manufacturers are specialty plants that exist solely to produce parts or projects for other brands. Hiring these facilities that are made to handle part of your process can prove to be an important asset in expanding production in the future.
However, when outsourcing your operations, be aware of the increased risk for mistakes. Unfortunately, Johnson & Johnson has faced numerous issues with their vaccine production at Emergent BioSolutions’ plant in Baltimore. When you enter a contract manufacturing partnership, be sure to clearly communicate your expectations, and consider sending some of your own employees to supervise on-site for a period to be sure processes are executed properly.
Making strategic changes doesn’t have to throw off your entire manufacturing process. With advanced manufacturing planning and scheduling software, you can ensure that your plant will continue to run as efficiently as possible. APS software can also help you identify the most beneficial improvements to make. For more information on VirtECS, our planning and scheduling optimization tool that has been helping manufacturers since 1993, download our guide here.
