Lonza Selects Rockwell Automation for Digital Transformation of Pharmaceutical Operations

Lonza has selected Rockwell Automation for the turnkey implementation of the Lonza strategic vision of bringing the digital factory to nine former Capsugel facilities that manufacture drug capsules. The Switzerland-based company, founded in 1897 with approximately 15,500 employees, chose Rockwell Automation’s PharmaSuite Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software to digitize the operations in their manufacturing environments. Specifically, the solution is designed to help avoid disruptions during high volume periods of just-in-time orders for on-demand production, ushering in a new era of operational efficiency.

Rockwell Automation services all of the top 10 global life sciences firms, offering expertise in scalable digital transformation, industrial analytics, and IoT solutions for fully automated, high-speed manufacturing environments. This deployment to nine sites will also provide 1,500 employees across the globe new, operational technology-centric tools for reaching the next level of efficiency and quality.

“Digital transformation is bringing new levels of operational efficiency, quality, process automation, and employee productivity to pharmaceutical companies globally,” said John Genovesi, senior vice president, Enterprise Accounts and Software, Rockwell Automation. “We’re proud to be working with Lonza as they evolve their products, operations, and workforce towards their maximum potential through the use of Rockwell Automation’s software solutions.”

Lonza will use PharmaSuite MES software, along with FactoryTalk InnovationSuite software to better trace product down to the individual capsule carton and gain insights into performance and production. A segregation of SAP and PharmaSuite MES will also help avoid the disruption of in case of a global enterprise resource planning ERP shutdown or required maintenance by enforcing workflows and collecting necessary information.

Rockwell Automation’s software solutions help organizations continually optimize their operations for the digital age. The company is currently working with Lonza on an innovation program to keep their operations on the leading edge of pharmaceutical manufacturing.