Here’s how Elekta is maintaining a resilient supply chain in 2023: Expert interview with Mwepa Davis, Supply Chain Operations Director

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mwepa Davis, the Supply Chain Operations Director at Elekta, to understand how Elekta has responded to geopolitical instability, changing consumer behaviour and the need to evaluate carrier networks.

To uncover the latest insights into the topics discussed in the following interview, read our newest LogiPharma Playbook here.

How has geopolitical instability impacted supply chain operations at Elekta?

"In response to recent sanctions, we have had to diversify our service provider base to ensure continued access to our products. This has been necessary to prevent any potential long-term downtime for our machines, which could have a detrimental impact on those receiving cancer treatment. Despite the disruption, we continue to work hard to ensure our products remain available and accessible to those who rely on them for their treatments."

While political instability is having a big impact on supply chain stability, pharmaceutical companies are also dealing with the lasting impacts of the pandemic and the way it has shifted consumer demands.

How have consumer behaviours and preferences for receiving medication been influenced by the pandemic?

“I believe that the pandemic has had a considerable effect on consumer behaviour and preferences when it comes to getting their goods on time. Consumers have become accustomed to ordering products from Amazon with their Prime one-day delivery service. This has created a challenge for the medical device industry as customers expect the same speed of delivery for spare parts, which may not be achievable with the medical supply chain.

At Elekta, we have increased our service offerings to meet these new customer expectations. This includes automated alerts for our operations teams if a delivery is likely to be delayed and informing the customer as soon as possible. Looking ahead, customers will be expecting more visibility and connectivity when it comes to delivery times, similar to the service Uber offers. The medical supply chain must continue to evolve to meet these rising expectations, as customers now expect the same level of visibility as other major online retailers.”

As part of the supply chain transformation the pharmaceutical industry has undergone over the past few years, the evaluation and optimisation of carrier networks have become a priority. Ensuring carriers are supporting the resilience of the supply chain is now critical. Equally, having a relationship that benefits both organisation and carrier fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation and growth.

How important are your relationships with carriers when making decisions at Elekta?

“In my opinion, the relationship with carriers is very influential when it comes to carrier decisions in our organisation. Having a strong relationship with our suppliers and partners provides a great foundation for resilience and stability in the supply chain. Additionally, having the right framework and processes in place to manage operations and contingency plans is also important. It is somewhat influential to multi-source and have multiple manufacturing points.

At Elekta, we have conversations with our logistics providers to establish what they can do for us, as well as how we can make changes internally to make our processes more efficient for them.”

The importance of data is growing across all industries, and pharmaceutical organisations are advancing their analytics capabilities to enable greater insight and drive decision-making. At Elekta, data is increasingly leading their carrier networks optimisation efforts.

How does Elekta use data to make decisions involving specialty carrier usage?

“Data has become an integral part of making informed decisions in our service supply chain at Elekta. By collecting and analysing data, we gain a comprehensive view of our total cost to serve, comprehend customer requirements, and assess carrier performance. Cost to serve is a major component of our business’ operational expenditure, and data can help identify which clients, countries, and even postal codes are the costliest to serve.

This implies that we can make informed decisions when allocating resources to serve different regions. Furthermore, data can be used to determine when customers are requesting faster delivery services that may not be feasible and we can use this data to inform the customer what is feasible and not feasible in that particular market. For instance, collecting proof of delivery data allows Elekta to determine which carriers are underperforming or succeeding.

This data can then be used to switch from one carrier to another if necessary. We also use data analytics to gain better insights into carrier market share within our operation - helping to manage risk.”

Mwepa will be speaking at LogiPharma 2023. To hear more of his expert insights, download the agenda.