Active implements a weighing system at Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico
Aug/2005

One more Active system, IWS - Integrated Weighing System – has been implemented successfully at Boehringer Mexico.

Before the implementation, the company used a manual process, where a weighing equipment known as ID5 was used. The labels and records were filled out manually, which was consuming time and a batch of paper. According to Rodrigo Correa, Project Manager: “They needed validated and reliable systems that would fulfill the regulatory standards”.

And they found these features in Active system, since it fulfill the Mexican SSA standards (Health Agency) and the American standard 21 CFR Part11, FDA, and it controls the materials weighing of the Solids and Liquid Plants. Now, Boehringer can work with electronic records and signatures, the operations are signed electronically in accordance with the process and with no need of hand-written notes. The system also allows to extract a report with all the process data if is necessary.

With this suite there is no risk for errors, for the system does not allow, for example, that a batch in quarantine status may be weighed and does not allow the use of materials that have not been approved.

After implementation, planning and construction have been completed, Active provided the users with theoretical and practical training, so they may know well the operation’s procedures. According to Correa, there was a certain resistance, because the controls were installed and then the users would have to follow rules.

This innovation brought in a cultural change, for now the company has a system that controls all processes. In just 3 weeks, users were already fully well-adjusted for the new process, which lasted around 7 months to be implemented.

Boehringer Solids Plant exports drugs to the United States. Therefore Active expands its system in the demanding North American market.

In less than one month the Americans will be ingesting drugs are made through an Active system. The Know How caused Active to stand out in the international market.


Integrated Weighing System - Main Benefits

Boehringer Ingelheim has currently a modern system, thus, besides complying with the regulatory standards, it increased security in Boehringer’s drug manufacturing, it carried out labeling of materials with bar code, recording the activities of scales’ checking, cleaning the weighing cabins, the system does not allow to weigh raw material without cleaning the last weighting, avoiding so the contamination between materials, electronic checking of batches, not allowing for using incorrect batches.

Finally, the company streamlined its processes, since the users do not need to write any more, as they signs electronically the operation, the system updates the data in the right time, day of execution, performed operation, who did it and finally, the person who checked.

For Rodrigo Correa, Project Manager, with this implementation the risk of errors is practically zero.

Active honors again its values with commitment, sincerity, integrity, ethics, innovation, partnership and social responsibility.