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Uhlmann Pac-Systeme

Uhlmann Pac-Systeme digitalises worldwide service with mobileX

Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG, part of the Uhlmann Group, is the world’s leading system provider for pharmaceutical packaging machines with 19 locations in 14 countries. Over 100 service technicians are deployed worldwide to service and maintain more than 10,000 machines in 80 countries. In addition, another 200 specialists such as assemblers, programmers, validators and project managers are on the road worldwide to ensure the smooth operation of the packaging machines. Uhlmann Pac-Systeme plans and carries out 2,500 assembly jobs per year alone around the globe.

Digitisation and standardisation of order processing

As the world’s leading system provider for the packaging of pharmaceuticals in blisters, bottles and cartons, Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG offers flexible total solutions for international pharmaceutical groups, generic manufacturers and contract packers. With its innovative packaging lines, comprehensive services and digital solutions, the company offers consulting, project management, implementation and services from a single source as a total solution provider.

In order to standardise and optimise its global service processes due to strong growth, the company was looking for an intuitive, future-proof and offline-capable solution for integration in SAP CS and HR in 2017. In addition, the project was intended to improve the quality of reporting and accelerate the throughput times of service orders.
Uhlmann Pac-Systeme finally decided in favour of mobileX-MIP for Field Service, primarily because of the adaptability of the solution to the specific requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. Another decisive point was the mobileX release monitor, an additional module of the mobile solution with which the office staff can check the technicians’ confirmations before they are posted in SAP.

Gradual, worldwide rollout

The rollout of mobileX-MIP for Field Service began in Germany in January 2019. Subsequently, the solution was rolled out to all service agencies, for example in Sweden, France, China and the UK. Since 2020, mobileX-MIP for Field Service has now been in use at Uhlmann Pac-Systeme worldwide in five languages (German, English, Spanish, French and Chinese).
The service technicians receive their orders via mobileX-MIP for Field Service on their tablets or laptops and can view all details of the order and the system, such as the service history and instructions. The orders are for repairs, maintenance, preventive maintenance measures or plant conversions. The commissioning of new plants is carried out by dedicated teams of fitters, programmers and project managers who spend one or even several weeks at the customer’s site for the installation. They also use mobileX-MIP for Field Service to document their work.

With dynamic forms and release monitor for more sustainability

In addition to the feedback, which contains information on working hours and details in text form, the technicians and fitters also create their service reports via the mobile solution and fill out checklists and forms. Using the Dynamic Forms module, for example, checklists for quality assurance are created at the completion of installation and signed by the customer. This ensures maximum work and legal security.

The use of the mobileX release monitor has above all digitalised the internal release and follow-up processes of the service orders and thus massively simplified and accelerated them. Whereas previously all order documents and checklists had to be manually transferred in paper form or scanned and checked in order to initiate subsequent processes such as the release of travel expenses, payroll accounting and invoices to customers, the checking of feedback and the triggering of follow-up processes is now carried out digitally and largely automated across departments with the release monitor. In this way, the internal logistical effort could be reduced by 95 per cent and the increased order volume could be fulfilled with the same number of staff.

Thanks to the digitalisation of service orders, eleven folder trolleys, which were filled with around 2,000 paper folders annually, were eliminated at the Laupheim site of Uhlmann Pac-Systeme alone. Already during the rollout phase, this saved 35,000 pages of printouts per year, which is equivalent to half a tonne of wood, over 9,000 litres of water, 1,800 kW/h of energy and 185 kilogrammes of CO2.

Improving data quality and shortening lead times

“The data quality of the feedbacks and checklists has improved exorbitantly with the introduction of mobileX-MIP for Field Service,” explains Kai Kathan, Team Leader Services at Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH + Co KG. “In addition, we were able to reduce the throughput times of service orders by more than half. We are also demonstrating our innovative strength as a market leader to customers by digitising order processing.”

Outlook

For the future, Uhlmann Pac-Systeme plans to expand the use of dynamic forms. More technical details such as equipment-related information or outstanding activities from the last job are to be transferred to the form so that the technicians are even better equipped for their jobs and can fill in forms even more easily.

Over the past 70 years, Uhlmann has developed from a machine manufacturer to the world’s leading system provider for pharmaceutical packaging machines. As a partner to the pharmaceutical industry, Uhlmann offers its customers complete solutions comprising machines, components, software and services – everything to do with the packaging of pharmaceutical products in blisters and bottles.