Pharma & Biotech

Case Study

A pharmaceutical customer wanted to eliminate recurring appraisal and failure costs

in their weighing processes. Based on Good Weighing PracticeTM, the GWP Verifica-

tion service helped to define a new testing schedule. Weighing risks were then mini-

mized and weighing quality assured.

Consultative Service Reduces Weighing Risk

Performance VerificationEliminating unnecessary costs

More efficient routine testing

CarePac® Weight Set

Eliminating unnecessary costsA leading pharmaceutical company approached METTLER TOLEDO in an effort to reduce their quality management system's appraisal costs. Like four out of five pharmaceutical companies, daily routine testing is part of their internal SOPs. GWP Verification was pro-posed for all the 48 analytical and precision balances. This consultative service product would determine the optimal routine testing frequency and test weights necessary to con-sistently achieve the required accuracy.

Mettler-Toledo AGLaboratory DivisionIm LangacherCH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland

Subject to technical changes.© Mettler-Toledo AG 05/11Printed in Switzerland

Adapting GWP will benchmark the QM system against manufacturer recommendations and highlight areas for cost savings and accu-racy improvements. This requires a one-time prevention investment that reduces or even eliminates recur-ring appraisal or failure costs. The benefit of sustainable cost savings appealed strongly to the quality as-surance manager.

“We had the feeling that we were do-ing too many tests too frequently, but there was no hard evidence. My goal was to significantly reduce testing as $80,000 annual appraisal spend was just not sustainable”, says the QA manager.

More efficient routine testsThe customer's inventory revealed 27 complete weight sets consisting

of 23 weights each. Annual recali-bration costs amounted to $20,000 but since their SOP required only two weights for routine testing the major-ity was left unused.

As part of the GWP Verification, the customer received a fit gap analysis of true weighing performance versus required accuracy. The current test-ing efforts were quickly rendered as exaggerated and the correct range of tests, including testing frequencies, nominal values and weight classes was determined. This minimized weighing risks and reduced overall costs.

CarePacs® are a cost-effective solu-tion for keeping prevention costs at a minimum. When this customer's CarePac weights come up for reca-libration, the cost savings will be-

come even more apparent as only two weights instead of 23 will have to be recalibrated.

Overall, a one-time investment of $30,540 resulted in recurring annual savings of $70,500, translating into a return on investment of 5 months. Apart from hard and soft savings, this QA manager has gained peace of mind that his performance veri-fication activities comply fully with manufacturer recommendations.

www.mt.com/GWPVerification www.mt.com/CarePac

Achieving guaranteed better weighing results is now easier than ever with GWP® Verification.

Lab technician performing routine testing using CarePacs®.