Healthcare & Life Sciences

The supply chain for healthcare and life science products, from raw materials to the patient, has over recent years, become ever more complex and this trend is set to continue. Innovative new products, new regulation and the economics of a changing marketplace are all creating new challenges.

The increasing volume of biologic products means that Cold Chain compliance is needed across a larger part of the network and as more personalised medicines receive regulatory approval it will, in places, be necessary to re-invent the supply chain processes needed to manufacture and distribute them effectively.

The prevalence of counterfeit products and the incidence of drug shortages have both become high profile issues. While the former is being addressed through global regulatory requirements for serialisation, the latter requires a wider perspective, including a systematic approach to risk and better co-ordination of information across the supply chain.

At the same time there is continued cost pressure. Ongoing issues of patent expiration and price pressure from purchasers mandate a sharp focus on cost. Many healthcare and life science companies have streamlined their supply networks, increased efficiency and reduced inventory holdings. Now they find a need to accommodate these increased complexities, without compromising continuity of supply or increasing costs.

Improved use of technology will play a major part in this. Dematic has the domain expertise and technical knowledge to ensure that the projects which deploy this technology are completed successfully and achieve their objectives. Our automation systems provide control of manufacturing and materials handling processes. Our Matflo Health suite of configurable, integrated supply chain solutions specifically tailored for regulated healthcare and life sciences use, manages the movement of finished goods from their point of manufacture to the patient. Our real time information systems provide the information needed to understand what is happening, as it happens, and co-ordinate effectively between the different parts of the supply chain.

Our typical solutions within this industry are based on the following products: