Automation expenditures in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry are expected to exceed $3bn by 2012. "Even with tightening budgets and the current financial crisis, the market for automation products and systems in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry continues to be moderate to strong. However, much of the current automation focuses on projects with immediate return on investments, projects that are the result of consolidation of manufacturing operations, and standardization of applications across the entire enterprise," according to John Blanchard, the principal author of ARC's Automation Expenditures for Pharmaceutical and Biotech Industry Worldwide Outlook.
The four major areas of focus in pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing are manufacturing productivity, flexibility, and service; the new scientific risk-based approach to regulatory compliance; reducing the cost and time of technology transfer; and ensuring product quality, safety, security, and delivery.
Source: ARC Advisory Group