Use Case 6- Improvement Opportunity Assessment In Pharma Manufacturing
Unlocking Manufacturing Excellence in Pharmaceutical Operations
Identifying high-impact improvement opportunities at scale
In pharmaceutical manufacturing, operational excellence is inseparable from quality, compliance, and cost competitiveness. As companies scale globally, even well-run plants can hide significant improvement potential across productivity, yield, and manpower efficiency.
A pharmaceutical manufacturer with global ambitions engaged us to conduct a structured assessment of manufacturing excellence at one of its key facilities and to identify the most impactful levers for performance improvement.
The challenge: Strong fundamentals, untapped potential
The client’s facility was operationally stable and compliant, yet leadership believed that performance could be significantly improved without compromising quality or regulatory standards.
What was missing was a clear, fact-based view of where inefficiencies existed across products, lines, and functions and which improvement opportunities would deliver the greatest value if addressed systematically.
Our approach: A diagnostic grounded in data and practitioner insight
We conducted a comprehensive manufacturing excellence diagnostic anchored in deep primary engagement and data-driven analysis.
The study included more than 100+ interviews with plant leadership, functional heads, and frontline teams, covering 96 parameters across manufacturing excellence dimensions. This was complemented by detailed product- and line-level performance analysis to identify variability, bottlenecks, and loss drivers.
Findings were synthesized into a clear set of improvement levers and discussed with leadership to align on priorities and implementation feasibility.
Creating transparency across operations and performance
The assessment examined end-to-end manufacturing performance, including line productivity, manpower deployment, material yield, and operational discipline.
By comparing performance across products and lines, the study revealed where variability not capacity was constraining output, and where relatively targeted interventions could unlock meaningful gains.
This structured view helped shift the conversation from isolated issues to systemic improvement opportunities.
What the assessment revealed
The analysis identified substantial improvement potential across multiple dimensions of performance. Key opportunities included:
- Enhancing line productivity through better balancing and reduced variability
- Improving manpower efficiency through role clarity and deployment optimization
- Increasing material yield through tighter process control and waste reduction
Collectively, these levers represented a significant opportunity to improve both operational performance and financial outcomes.
Impact: From diagnostic to value creation
The engagement highlighted a potential 25 percent improvement in EBITDA, driven by gains in productivity, manpower efficiency, and material yield. Additional benefits included:
- Approximately 15.3 percent increase in line productivity
- Around 19.1 percent improvement in manpower efficiency
- Roughly 7.91 percent improvement in material yield
Beyond the quantified impact, the study provided leadership with a clear, prioritized roadmap for driving sustainable manufacturing excellence.
Engagement snapshot
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Geography: India
Engagement type: Manufacturing excellence and improvement opportunity assessment
Expertise leveraged: Pharma manufacturing, operations excellence, performance diagnostics
Pharmaceuticals | India | Operations & Quality