Reduced Changeover Time by 50%, Boosted Productivity by 20%, and Saved ₹2.4 Crore Annually through Lean Transformation
Client Overview
- Company: Eris Lifesciences Ltd
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- Location: India
- Employees: 1,000+
- Products/Services: Branded formulations in Cardio-Metabolic, Dermatology, Neuropsychiatry, Women’s Health, and Nephrology
- Ranking: #21 in the Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IPM)
- Certifications: GMP, ISO 9001
Challenges (Before Greendot)
Eris Lifesciences faced critical operational challenges affecting capacity, cost, and efficiency:
- 5S Gaps: Low 5S awareness, no visual controls, unorganized workplace, and poor safety compliance (initial 5S score: 14/25).
- Kaizen Absence: No continuous improvement culture, low employee engagement, and limited problem-solving skills (baseline Kaizen score: 2/25).
- Changeover Losses: Excessive changeover times — 200 to 300 minutes — consuming 26–32% of available time in major departments.
- Maintenance Inefficiency: 551 downtime hours/month and ₹70,913 average monthly maintenance costs due to a lack of structured TPM.
Unmonitored Lead Time: No Value Stream Mapping (VSM) system to track production flow and identify bottlenecks.
Our Approach
Greendot’s transformation roadmap for Eris Lifesciences included:
- Diagnostic Study: Baseline audits on 5S, SMED, Kaizen, and Maintenance data.
- Strategy Design: 12-month phased plan integrating Lean and TPM tools.
- Implementation: Multi-level training, on-ground handholding, and continuous improvement drives.
Review Mechanism: Weekly dashboards, monthly cross-functional reviews, and leadership scorecards.
Solutions Implemented
| Area | Solution |
| 5S | Department-wise 5S training, PEEP (Place for Everything) system, Red & Yellow tagging, daily Shine audits |
| Kaizen | 38 Kaizens implemented (11 major), focusing on waste reduction, yield improvement, and paper/energy savings |
| SMED | Reduced changeover time by 50% using Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) workshops |
| VSM | Conducted Current & Future State mapping to cut waiting time and optimize flow |
| Maintenance | TPM rollout, abnormality matrix, and machine-wise breakdown dashboards |
Results Achieved
- Productivity Boost:
→ 20% increase in production efficiency and output capacity. - Changeover Reduction:
→ 50% reduction in changeover times (e.g., Granulation: 5 hrs → 3 hrs; Compression: 300 min → 190 min). - Cost Savings:
→ Total ₹2.4 crore annual savings across Kaizen and energy initiatives.
→ Major examples include:- ₹31.7 lakh/year from yield improvement in Tendia M.
- ₹19.2 lakh/year from polybag reduction.
- ₹9.4 lakh/year from optimized solvent usage.
- ₹1.4 lakh/year from energy savings in cooling towers.
- ₹39,000/year from QMS document optimization.
- 5S Excellence:
→ QA Department achieved 24/25 score, transforming shopfloor into a model facility for regulatory visits. - Maintenance Optimization:
→ Machine downtime reduced from 551 hrs/month to <400 hrs, cutting maintenance cost by 25%. - Employee Engagement:
→ Over 300 employees trained in Lean tools; Kaizen participation increased by 400%.
ROI: Achieved an estimated return of ₹6.5 for every ₹1 invested, positioning Eris as a Lean benchmark in Indian pharma.
Why It Worked (Greendot Edge)
- Practical Execution: Focused on achievable, measurable Lean projects.
- Expert Handholding: Cross-functional mentoring across production, QA, and maintenance.
- Data-Driven Decisions: KPI-based tracking for every department.
- Sustainable Culture: Ownership through Kaizen boards, OPLs, and TPM engagement
Tools Used
- 5S
- Kaizen
- SMED
- Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
- TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)
- One Point Lesson (OPL)
- KPI Dashboard
