Vita-Tech goes for simplicity, manageability with QAD enterprise system selection

Working in a highly regulated industry is no walk in the park. It demands thorough record keeping and strict attention to detail just to meet the daily pressures surrounding government standards.

For Vita-Tech—a $40-million, Santa Barbara, Calif.-based contract nutraceuticals manufacturer—any way the company can support managers in meeting regulatory burdens is a step in the right direction.

By replacing an antiquated legacy application with a completely new enterprise solution—QAD's Global Enterprise Edition (GXE) system—Vita-Tech believes it is on the way to faster validation processing, tightly secured audit trails and traceability, and a streamlined request-for-quote (RFQ) process.

"All our raw materials must go through a qualification process before being released to inventory," says Toni Clubb, CFO for Vita-Tech. "Our quality department performs analytical tests to ensure all materials meet established requirements, such as potency. Raw materials are restricted in a quarantined area until they meet established specifications. Only then can they be released into the manufacturing process."

According to Raana Abbasey-Grieder, global manager of life sciences for enterprise systems vendor QAD, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires an electronic signature for all raw materials to be released into inventory. "If there is a problem with a supplier—or if there is some risk of contamination, for example—the material is on hold until it is signed off by a supervisor."

QAD's GXE enterprise system also records supplier lot numbers and data regarding production runs. These functions were tested in a software validation process stipulated by the FDA prior to implementing the system.

"When writing hazard analysis reports and performing tests, we use the system's audit trails to determine who touched a specific product and when," says Clubb. "The onus is on us—not the software company—to prove we meet government regulations."

Since completing phase one of the GXE implementation, Vita-Tech improved its RFQ process, and reduced head count by using a bulk pick-ticket process. The company processes 20 percent more requests, and cut quote processing time from weeks to days.

Clubb says expanded security capabilities include password encryption, automatic renewal, and intrusion detection.

"We've also created a system of work orders using email to trigger the next person in a sequence," says Clubb. "With automated alerts, different departments can work on aspects of a quote simultaneously."

Vita-Tech conducted an eight-month search before choosing QAD last year. With 45 users and an IT staff of two, the company was looking for a highly functional solution that was easy to maintain and upgrade.

"Our solutions are manageable because they're not complex," says Abbasey-Grieder. "We have a much narrower focus than a typical supplier, which allows system functionality to run deeper and contain more specific features."

Abbasey-Grieder says QAD serves six vertical manufacturing markets, focusing on midsize businesses rather than Tier 1 companies.