• Labor issues. "Puerto Rico is no longer a low-labor country," said Sadurni. "Puerto Rico has been manufacturing medical devices for more than 50 years."
• When to automate. Consider factors such as product volume, and time to market. Timelines are "long because this is a regulated business," said Sadurni. Product life cycles, costs, and marketing projections are also important. "Marketing is key, so that we know what's going to happen with that product in the next six months to three years."
• Automation benefits. Both professionals pointed out that reduced labor costs represent a key automation benefit, not just in justifying equipment or lower costs, but also because reduced labor costs can help reduce product price to make it more price-competitive. Automation can also benefit a company by eliminating unhealthy exposure situations for employees, which can have an impact on job performance and health claims.
• Validation. Sadurni said, "You need validated processes. When you automate, you have to be careful because if you change the sequence of your operations, it can affect validation procedures."
--By Jim Butschli, Editor
• When to automate. Consider factors such as product volume, and time to market. Timelines are "long because this is a regulated business," said Sadurni. Product life cycles, costs, and marketing projections are also important. "Marketing is key, so that we know what's going to happen with that product in the next six months to three years."
• Automation benefits. Both professionals pointed out that reduced labor costs represent a key automation benefit, not just in justifying equipment or lower costs, but also because reduced labor costs can help reduce product price to make it more price-competitive. Automation can also benefit a company by eliminating unhealthy exposure situations for employees, which can have an impact on job performance and health claims.
• Validation. Sadurni said, "You need validated processes. When you automate, you have to be careful because if you change the sequence of your operations, it can affect validation procedures."
--By Jim Butschli, Editor
