Reliable printout system at Adamed Pharma S.A.

Adamed is a Polish pharmaceutical and biotechnology company founded in 1986. Initially, it specialized in the production of gynecological drugs and medical equipment. Thanks to the development of its own scientific thought and its own patents, the number of which currently reaches 191, it has been strengthening its market position gradually. The company provides medicines in 19 therapeutic areas, has 280 products (prescription and over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements and dermocosmetics), and employs 2,200 people in Poland and abroad.

In 2001, Adamed was the first Polish pharmaceutical company to start looking for innovative medications. Today, its activity areas include oncology and central nervous system diseases. Its projects are implemented in cooperation with the leading research centres in Poland and abroad. The company started its export activity in 2003 – thanks to high EU standards obligatory in the manufacturing process, its products are currently available and recognised on 70 markets around the world.

The new solution involved two production plants – in Pabianice and in Ksawerów, and a total of over a dozen workstations. It consists of a central server, workstations and printout stations. The server hosts a database and NiceLabel LMS software. The workstations are computers used for printing the labels and defining data to print them. In turn, each printing station consists of an industrial label printer, proximity card reader and a scale.

At present, the labels designed on workstations are sent for acceptance. Then, an order imported from the master system (Oracle) is activated for the given manufacturing line. The approved label format is attached to the order. At a subsequent stage, the operator logs in on the printing station using the (personal) proximity card and starts weighing bulk packs and labelling them. Every label printout is initiated by putting a box on the scale and pressing the “Print” button on the scale driver. The label will contain the data previously assigned from the system and the weight of packaging.

In the new system, label designing was improved and put in order. The number of label templates was limited to the necessary minimum, and the variable data come from a database specially created by SKK (product database).

Another advantage of used solution is the automated versioning mechanism. Versioning is a registration of labels subsequent versions, which takes place when the parameters of a given product index or label format are changed. Thanks to that, the system has a complete history of printouts, which makes it possible to recreate specific labels from the past, if necessary. Versioning also meets legal requirements.

Significant error reduction is immense advantage of the implemented system. It stems just from an automatic versioning of printouts, integration of the master system and scales and a reliable method of employee authorisation. There is generally more control over the marking process.

The system is standardised because each workstation looks identical, which also increases its ease of use. It is scalable and flexible – it can be expanded with consecutive printout stations, as well as connect various types of scales to it.

Within the implementation SKK provided readers, printers, Nice Label licenses, created an SQL database, as well as provided technical support and conducted training for the plant employees.