The Problem
Product demand continues to grow and the plant is producing at very close to full capacity. Adding additional capacity is extremely difficult and costly because of the following factors:
- Space to accommodate capacity expansion within the facility is extremely limited.
- Adding capacity requires multi-country regulatory validation, which is very expensive and time consuming.
- Lead times for adding capacity are very long. The time required to install a new bioreactor is roughly seven years.
- Adding capacity would slow existing production. Since the facility is already running at nearly maximum capacity, slowing production is not an option.
The company’s only option is to squeeze more units of production out of its existing facilities. Resource utilization is very high and preventative maintenance schedules are frequently delayed. Current formulated bulk inventory is below the target minimum. Any production problems have the potential to seriously affect the plant's ability to meet demand.
Biotech Manufacturing - Planning and Scheduling Page 2 of 4