Building on-site resilience in pharmaceutical manufacturing
Introduction
Meeting the nation’s medical needs is challenging, where rapidly fluctuating product demand has put pressure on supply chains and led to medical shortages in pharmacies.1
The complex nature of pharmaceutical supply chains adds further complexity. Disruption has become increasingly common post-pandemic, with the pharmaceutical sector especially vulnerable to unforeseen shocks.2
But while medication demands and supply chain circumstances may change, power provision to pharmaceutical manufacturing sites must remain consistent. Pharmaceutical manufacturing in the UK industry is extremely energy-intensive, however, it is increasingly difficult to guarantee plant resilience, not least with grid system instability and stubbornly high energy prices.
These are undoubtedly major challenges. Yet site stakeholders must overcome them to maintain profit margins and avoid unplanned downtime stemming from power cuts and other disruptions. With manufacturing organisations such as Made in Britain also calling for policies that prioritise supply chain resilience and sustainability, the need to take action is clear. 3
Taking steps
Taking this into account, it is key that plant stakeholders review their existing energy equipment portfolio, including generators and uninterrupted power supplies (UPS) as well as industrial chillers and other manufacturing HVAC solutions.
The development of a cost-effective and energy-efficient off-grid power system is crucial to negating downtime. Effective provision of back-up power, temperature control and decentralised energy solutions can help site stakeholders carry out effective contingency planning in case of power outages.