Machine Builder Saves the Day for Pharmaceutical Company

John Sprovieri // Chief Editor

When one integrator fails to deliver, another steps up to quickly redesign a failed concept.

Switching horses midstream” is an idiom that means to abruptly change leaders or strategies in the middle of a crucial task, often suggesting that such a change is not a good idea and could lead to problems or failure. It’s based on the idea that trying to swap horses while crossing a river would be risky and impractical.

Sometimes, however, you just have to concede that you’re going to get your boots wet.

Such was the case recently when a pharmaceutical manufacturer contacted machine builder Norwalt Automation Group in Randolph, NJ. The manufacturer had hired another systems integrator to design and build a set of three automated machines to assemble a product requiring FDA approval with an aggressive deadline.

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that there was a problem. When the first machine was delivered, it wouldn’t run for a minute without stopping. Three operators were required to run it, and the machine was operating with an overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of just 10 percent. (OEE measures how efficiently production equipment is utilized, encompassing availability, performance and quality.) The second and third machines had yet to be completed.

Running out of time, the manufacturer contacted Norwalt. Mike Seitel, Norwalt’s chairman and CEO, visited manufacturer’s plant the next day.

After examining the existing machine and the partially completed ones, Seitel recognized the challenge that this project presented. “The concept was wrong. There weren’t enough stations in the base system to do the assembly properly,” recalls Seitel, who has been with the company since 1987.

Despite the hurdles the project presented, Seitel knew Norwalt was up to the task. “Our ability to think and move quickly is one of our major strengths,” he says.

Norwalt has been designing and building custom automation systems since 1971. The company’s customers include Abbott Laboratories, Becton Dickinson, Gillette, Terumo Corp. and Tessy Plastics.

Norwalt has built both continuous motion and indexing machines to assemble products with two or as many as 10 or more parts. The company has experience integrating numerous processes into its systems, including decorating, leak testing, induction welding, conduction welding, ultrasonic welding, labeling, vision inspection and dispensing. Its machines have produced at rates ranging from 15 to 1,200 parts per minute.

“A company with Ford’s scale can really influence the supply chain and business practices across our entire industry,” adds Sue Slaughter, purchasing director at Ford Motor Co. “It is so important that we not only think about how [we] can use our purchasing power to fuel our business needs, but also to advance sustainability.”

Because the automotive supply chain is extremely complex, the Guiding Principles contain expectations about business ethics, working conditions, human rights, health and safety, environmental leadership and supply chain due diligence for suppliers at all tiers. All suppliers are expected to uphold these standards and enforce them throughout their supply chain.

The Guiding Principles are based on fundamental elements of social, environmental and governance responsibility that are consistent with applicable laws and international standards created by organizations such as the United Nations.

Topics covered under the revised guidelines include the following:

        Business ethics, including counterfeit parts and data protection.

        Environmental issues, such as air quality, carbon neutrality, chemical management, circularity and water management.

        Health and safety issues, such as personal protective equipment and workspace.

        Human rights and working conditions, such as benefits, wages and working hours.

        Responsible supply chain management, such as ethical sourcing of raw materials.

The BMW Group has implemented several projects in its packaging logistics unit to help the environment and conserve resources. The goal of the initiative is to work closely with suppliers to reduce carbon emissions and adhere to the principles of a circular economy.

BMW’s European assembly plants are using more recycled material in their packaging. For newly awarded contracts, the proportion of recycled material in reusable packaging for logistics purposes will almost double this year from around 20 percent to over 35 percent.

Using alternative sustainable materials, reducing single-use packaging, introducing lightweight packaging in certain areas and reducing transport volumes will also help cut carbon emissions.

BMW is monitoring the impact of individual measures via a CO₂ calculator for packaging. The automaker’s overall aim is to reduce CO₂ emissions in the supply chain by 20 percent per vehicle compared to 2019.

“Our re:think, re:duce, re:use, re:cycle approach is being implemented consistently in packaging logistics,” says Michael Nikolaides, head of production network and logistics at BMW Group. “We’re using innovative strategies to consistently reduce the volume of resources we use, thus reducing our carbon footprint.

“We are also doing our part to get the BMW iFACTORY up and running, with a particular focus on the ‘green’ side of things…with an emphasis on flexibility and efficiency, sustainability and digitalization,” explains Nikolaides. “It provides an answer to the challenges involved in the transformation to e-mobility and [leverages] the latest technologies to create a production process that uses minimal resources.”

According to Nikolaides, BMW is using more recycled material, such as expanded polypropylene (EPP) packaging. “Our newly developed EPP packaging already contains 25 percent recycled material,” he points out. “EPP is used in special containers, as its shape can be adapted to the components being packaged, allowing them to be transported safely.

“Around 360,000 of these containers are needed each year,” claims Nikolaides. “Using 25 percent recycled material allows us to save almost 280 tons of CO₂ annually. There are plans to increase this proportion of recycled material even further, with the first pilot schemes with 100 percent recycled material currently underway. If these tests are successful, this configuration will become standard for new contracts from 2024.

“An additional 680 tons of carbon emissions savings can be made every year by using covers and so-called small load carriers with 50 percent recycled contents,” says Nikolaides. “As things stand, these measures are focused within the European markets due to the current waste management situation and available recycling infrastructure. But, we are working toward expanding to our locations in China, Mexico and the United States.”

BMW also plans to use folding large load carriers in place of traditional pallet cages made of steel. The plastic alternatives will be made from over 90 percent recycled material. They work in a similar way to the collapsible shopping crates that most people are familiar with.

When they’re empty, the carriers can be folded up, making them easier to transport. Nikolaides claims that using 15,000 of these new containers will reduce CO₂ by around 3,000 tons per year.

“When it comes to packaging, the sky’s the limit,” says Nikolaides. “We’re launching pilot projects using bio-based materials to replace oil-based substances such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

“We are also investigating whether and in what ways we can use materials from recycled household appliances in our packaging,” explains Nikolaides. “In the long term, our aim is to use alternatives to raw materials across the board.”