Elan Drug Technologies Targets Digital Signage Messages based on Location

Elan Drug Technologies (EDT) is a business unit of Elan (NYSE:ELN). It develops and manufactures integrated drug delivery systems in partnership with many of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.

The 87,000-sq.-ft., 150-employee facility in Gainesville, Georgia is the company's primary North American manufacturing facility. At the facility EDT develops innovative ways to deliver drugs to patients through more convenient dosing methods or time release technologies. Following development, Elan continues to manufacture the products for its pharmaceutical company clients. Naturally, quality and consistency are hallmarks of Elan's approach to manufacturing. In 2009, in support of these goals, EDT instituted a StrandVision Digital Signage system to better communicate with employees in a more timely and consistent manner.

In seeking a better way to communicate with employees, Carolyn Soukup, Director of Human Resources, said, "Many of our employees, especially manufacturing employees, share computers, so email doesn't work, and our multiple shifts also create communications problems. It's not convenient to get everyone in the same room at the same time. We decided that by using digital signage, everyone could get the same messages quickly and consistently, no matter where they were or what shift they worked."

Soukup researched digital signage and found StrandVision on the Internet. She passed the information on to her IT department, which examined the technology and approved StrandVision's online digital signage delivery.

A 65" flat screen in the break room delivers a steady stream of frequently updated local, national and international news. The signage also streams the corporate mission statement, employee news, photos, events, charity drives, birthdays and anniversaries, as well as safety tips and emergency notices.

"Before we started," explained Soukup, "I sat down with the GM and we decided that we would keep the signage on a lighter level in the break room, so we don't show training or quality metrics."

The second StrandVision Digital Signage installation, which debuted this year, is more business oriented. Located in the gowning area where 50+ manufacturing, packaging and R&D employees prepare for entry into controlled areas, the signage concentrates on production and quality metrics.

"We have an Operational Excellence program to track quality and equipment efficiency metrics," said Soukup. "We post updated data in the gowning area every week showing the results. We also scroll weekly training offerings and other business-oriented employee announcements."

Each signage network is updated by a separate administrator who has logon rights only to the appropriate sign.

EDT is now considering a third digital signage stream for the office area. This one will be more customer oriented and will feature the Operational Excellence program, welcome messages and other general news.

"StrandVision fit the bill for what we wanted to do, with local news and easy templates that help us update the slides to keep it fresh," concluded Soukup.