Efficient release processes in pharmaceutical production through process mining

B. Braun has a clear vision: to protect and continuously improve the health of people worldwide. The production of high-quality pharmaceuticals at the Berlin plant is a central contribution to this vision. In addition to manufacturing, the product release process plays a crucial role. The timely availability of pharmaceuticals is essential for customer satisfaction. One particular challenge here is setting priorities for certain products to ensure that urgently needed medications reach the market faster.

Before the project, B. Braun faced significant challenges. The administration and analysis of production and release data was carried out using numerous complex and extensive Excel spreadsheets, which often led to long loading times. This manual and time-consuming data processing was not only inefficient but also prone to errors, which further affected the quality of the process. The pressure to increase efficiency in the approval process increased, and employees also increasingly perceived the process as inadequate and in need of improvement. The need for optimisation therefore became more and more apparent.

To optimise the release process, the B. Braun and adesso team supported the Berlin plant in introducing the Celonis platform to digitally map the release process. The platform now enables employees to view the current status of the release protocols at any time, which significantly improves transparency. This makes it possible to quickly identify urgently needed orders and their release dates, enabling clear prioritisation and significantly more efficient work.

• Implementation of the Celonis platform: Provision of a customised solution on the Celonis platform that maps the entire release process – while also building the solution for scalability across different plants.
• Technical support and advice in process mining: A combination of technical implementation and expertise to optimally adapt the platform to the specific requirements of the release process.
• Enablement and communication: Targeted enablement and clear communication ensured that employees use the platform in their daily work.

By implementing the Celonis platform, the Berlin plant has been able to make significant progress in the release process. The increased transparency regarding the status and prioritisation of orders has made workflows significantly more efficient, enabling urgent medications to be released and brought to market faster. For employees, this means a considerable relief. The release process is now clearly laid out and user-friendly, simplifying the workday and increasing satisfaction. The platform is actively used every day, thus supporting a sustainable increase in efficiency.

The digital transformation of the approval process has also significantly increased the plant's performance and has attracted positive attention at other locations. The Berlin plant is now considered a pioneer in digitalisation, and the success story has already sparked interest at other locations to take similar steps to optimise their processes.