Working with ITCM

Total lifecycle support

ITCM adds value at every stage of the product life cycle. We are keen to partner early with our customers for the initial development and refinement of a new product. Our perspective early on helps optimise products for economical manufacture. We are able to quickly define the value added manufacturing processes and eliminate potential wastes in the system.

Feasibility studies and technology proving provide confidence that key features can be incorporated into the product efficiently. We build test rigs and study technical challenges in detail. For consumer trials and market testing we are able to produce mock-ups and samples in low volumes in a semi-automated environment. As the market is identified we build the right size machine to meet the demand. Repeat machines are built to scale up production as the market grows.

Following delivery of the first production machine, ITCM employs a rigorous Continuous Improvement (CI) programme to maximise machine performance. This is achieved through the capture of valuable operator feedback, the continual monitoring of key processes and a proactive problem-solving approach.

Our dedicated aftermarket team provides comprehensive service and support for the life-time of the machine. Services include spares provisioning and consignment stock-holding, scheduled site visits for preventive maintenance, telephone support and ‘refresher’ training.

Businesses which can introduce new products to market more rapidly and cost-effectively than their competitors will enjoy continued success in the market. ITCM supports this challenge by designing flexible machines which can be adapted to produce new and derivative products at a later date.

As the market changes and demands new and derivative products we build upon the success of earlier projects and adapt the technology to meet new challenges.

Managing process and product risks

Risk management is central to the way we work. Our feasibility studies and technology proving projects identify and mitigate risks to ensure project success. We investigate product and process characteristics to ensure our machine designs are reliable and capable of manufacturing efficiently over an agreed range of material and environmental conditions.

The ability for ITCM to provide input to the product design and material selection is invaluable at the early stages of a project. This enables us to identify ‘critical to quality’ elements of the product. We then mitigate risks through product improvements or design of innovative machine processes to ensure high yield manufacture.

Defining process requirements and addressing performance risks early ensures world-class performance in the field. We understand the demands of the factory environment and the environment your equipment will operate in. We design and build to meet the requirements of the key international standards to ensure safety of operators, engineers and of course the consumer. For example, all of our pharmaceutical and healthcare machines are designed in accordance with the guidelines of GAMP 5.

This approach to risk management limits the exposure of ITCM and our customers to any unnecessary risks and ensures project success.

Intellectual property

Our customer relationships are long-term, built on trust and complete confidentiality is a core value throughout every project. ITCM regularly generates new intellectual property (IP) during the development process. New IP is delivered to our customers to enable them to secure a competitive edge in the market. If a customer wishes to protect IP, ITCM provides support and advice throughout the process. ITCM has patented numerous inventions in conjunction with our customers, preventing new designs from being copied and providing powerful barriers to competition.

The face of R&D is changing; Evidence suggests that continued success and market leadership will depend upon a more ‘open’ approach to innovation and design. This philosophy states that new ideas and concepts should be shared more openly to enable a faster evolution into commercial applications. The message is that “Not all good ideas are developed within the own company, and not all ideas should necessarily be further developed within the own firm’s boundaries”.

See Open Innovation for further information. We network with other innovative companies using this model through H-I Net, who facilitates its clients to build strong partnerships in research and development.