Excellence from PICME

For a couple of years now the Process Industries Centre for Manufacturing Excellence (PICME) has provided the opportunity for process industries to seek help in reviewing manufacturing and supply chain activities.

This is largely done via initial audits of particular functions with follow-up consisting of a 'Masterclass' process where the assessors work with and train the relevant company personnel to enable them to make changes to both production and business processes that will improve productivity without capital investment.

These activities are to a large degree underwritten by the DTI, with the company involved being charged a nominal fee for the services.

Pharmaceutical companies that have used the PICME process so far have been able to identify particular benefits from the work done by PICME and in some instances have been able to attract new business from the parent company abroad.

Also there is scope for pharmaceutical manufacturers to encourage their suppliers to use the facility of the PICME process.

ABPI has been fully supportive of the PICME process from its inception and continues to support the project through membership of its Advisory Council and workshops at ABPI.