Lupin: On the cloud train

Lupin has kept pace with the advancements in IT and taken efforts to incorporate it in the company. Among the firsts is its emphasis on the integration of cloud within the company, and it goes without mention that it has been amongst the early adopters of cloud-based computing and storage.

Proactive steps

The entire workforce of 14,500 moved to cloud-based email in 2012. The sales force automation system catering to its 6000-strong field force as well as security solutions such as Internet content filtering, anti-virus systems are also cloud-based. This year they implemented a cloud-based Performance Management System by Success Factors (A SAP Company). Pitches in Mayur Danait, Chief Information Officer, Lupin, “Broadly, when we evaluate a new system or technology, we look at the cloud option first – we host it on-premise only if the cloud is not feasible. The objectives have been reducing our in-house IT infra footprint, harmonisation, rapid deployment and higher service levels, something we have achieved with each of the above initiatives.”

This is reflected in a proportionate increase in investment allocations to IT along with company growth. In the past few years, the focus has been towards globalising ERP and supply chain systems, manufacturing and quality systems, revamping infrastructure, IT security. Going forward, the shift will be towards mobility and analytics. IT has enabled significant acceleration of processes on the supply chain side by making data and decision-support systems available to the key functionaries.

Towards efficiency and cost advantage

Cloud initiatives on the messaging and collaboration front have saved 15-20 per cent of costs to the company annually. Productivity initiatives on the sales force side have resulted in 50 per cent annual savings by eliminating paperwork, and manual data aggregation. This means that the average sales representative has more time to visit doctors, chemists and distributors by cutting down on time previously spent on administrative work.

The focus is to invest in systems on the R&D side – including managing laboratory information, clinical operations and data etc. Danait feels that automation could serve twin benefits of process acceleration, transparency and statutory and regulatory compliance if applied to certain areas within the organisation. He says that pharma companies still lag behind their domestic FMCG counterparts and their global industry peers when it comes to incorporation of information technology. However, emergence of new technologies allows companies to leap-frog to the next level. He concludes, “So long as we get our priorities right we will continue to narrow the gap. Pharma companies do realise the impact of technology on areas like sales force productivity, supply chain efficiency and compliance, reporting and analytics etc. and are ready to move to the next level.”

– Mayur Danait, Chief Information Officer, Lupin