The response of the Irish pharmaceutical manufacturing sector to the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on Lean and JIT

Abstract

Background: Just in Time (JIT) and Lean manufacturing are concepts that originated in the automotive industry and were then adopted by pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies during the 1990s. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and the urgent demand for pharmaceutical treatment challenged JIT and Lean manufacturing processes. Production of Covid-19-related medicines increased, putting pressure on global supply chains and operations. This also hindered the production of medicines using the same or similar materials. Thus, questions are raised concerning JIT and Lean supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Objectives: The present study aimed to explore (1) if material and supply constraints occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, (2) how companies were impacted and managed and (3) if changes are required to future proof the JIT supply chain approach for future global events. Design: A mixed-method cross-sectional survey design was used and focused on material supply, qualification and validation in Irish pharmaceutical manufacturing sites. Methods: Employees working in the Irish pharmaceutical manufacturing industry were recruited using convenience sampling through online advertisement using the social media platform ‘LinkedIn’. Quantitative data was analysed using percentages and qualitative data from free-text responses were used to add context to the quantitative survey questions. Results: A total of 41 participants were recruited. The results suggested that the pandemic had a negative effect on material availability according to 81% of participants. This translated to delays or stoppage of production activity and was mainly handled by sourcing new materials (70%). To cope with future global crises, 60% of participants recommended more flexibility in future validation processes while 78% of participants acknowledged the importance of validating additional suppliers. A hybrid model of manufacturing and supply chain management was also a preferred approach to exclusive Lean and JIT (42%). Conclusions: The production of non-Covid-19 medicines was adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland demonstrated resilience and collaboration in response to these challenges. This study suggests that the JIT and Lean manufacturing model should be adjusted to ensure medicine supply chains are not disrupted during future global events.