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

Steps must be taken to safeguard operations, but what does this involve? Consistent, optimised energy provision is crucial to ensuring high product yields. However, the grid’s growing intermittency means it should not be the only method for guaranteeing site resilience. This is particularly important for new sites given the average waiting times for a grid connection.

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.

Ensuring flexibility

Generators, UPS power supplies and industrial chillers are cornerstones of any off-grid power system. But these power sources and manufacturing HVAC equipment are expensive to purchase outright.

The risk of over- or under-specifying power solutions and HVAC systems is something pharmaceutical manufacturers cannot afford given existing pressures on profit margins. Finance is dominating conversations across the pharmaceutical sector, and even giants such as AstraZeneca are not immune, with funding cited as the reason for a potential move from the US to the UK despite previous plans to build new manufacturing facilities in Liverpool and Cambridge.⁴

In today’s market, any specified energy and backup power solutions must be modular, scalable and flexible. With these objectives in mind, pharmaceutical manufacturing stakeholders should explore the possibilities of strategic equipment hire.

Taking control

Flexible backup generator and industrial chiller solutions can allow site stakeholders to be more agile and react quicker to changes in demand. Additionally, power provision can be made more energy efficient and subject to a greater level of site stakeholder control, and can be scaled up and down depending on demand.

Using a hire strategy, organisations can use the latest high-efficiency technologies to reduce energy costs, consumption and emissions. Additionally, they can avoid the stranded asset risks associated with purchasing permanent installations.

To get the most out of this approach, pharmaceutical companies should find suppliers that offer a wide range of energy-efficient solutions that ensure reliability. This way, they can protect their operations, make energy savings and ensure peace-of-mind.

Addressing Concerns

As a leading supplier of power and temperature control solutions to the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, Aggreko is well-placed to address the industry’s resilience concerns. Through its flexible, modular approach, the company provides the most efficient and sustainable temporary solutions to make site operations more efficient and productive while mitigating disruption risks.

This offering includes the company’s Greener Upgrades portfolio, which is able to help manufacturers achieve lower on-site emissions alongside improving efficiency and potentially reducing costs. Solutions within the portfolio include Stage V generators and battery storage systems and steam generators, as well as load-on-demand configurations and HVO fuel provision.

Provided on a flexible, modular basis, such solutions can help pharmaceutical manufacturers boost productivity with greater protection against market volatility. Set against a backdrop of fluctuating product demand and energy-intensive processes, this approach could be invaluable to protecting bottom lines.