At the Factorytalk Forum 2025, Jason Hayes, Head of Quality at SCHOTT MINIFAB, shared a powerful story titled “Fast-Track EBR Implementation.”
In an industry where speed and compliance rarely coexist, SCHOTT MINIFAB — an FDA-registered CDMO specializing in in-vitro diagnostic consumables and medical devices — proved that both are possible through the right mix of people, process, and technology.
From Vision to Action: SCHOTT MINIFAB’s Digital Shift
SCHOTT MINIFAB’s digital transformation began with a bold yet simple vision:
go paperless, boost compliance, and empower operators with real-time insights.
Why change?
The biggest internal driver was the need for instant access to data — a capability that would strengthen audit readiness, enhance transparency, and accelerate release timelines.
Jason Hayes emphasized, “Access to data wasn’t just a nice-to-have — it became a strategic need.”
🟢 A Pragmatic Approach: Progress Over Perfection
Rather than waiting for the “perfect system,” SCHOTT MINIFAB took a phased and pragmatic approach — proving that progress, not perfection, drives results.
Manual, paper-based batch records had long been a bottleneck — error-prone, slow, and difficult to trace. Within just three months, the team implemented BatchLine, selected for its:
- Robust eBHR capabilities
- Real-time visibility
- Power BI compatibility for reporting
- Affordability and ease of validation
The implementation was fast — moving from pilot to live use in just 11 weeks, expanding to 12 SKUs within the first year. Future plans now include ERP, IoT, Analytics, and QMS integration to create a connected digital ecosystem.
🟢 Behind the Success: Collaboration & Clarity
The transformation wasn’t just a technical upgrade — it was a mindset shift.
Success came from three clear ingredients:
- Decisive Action — Acting early, learning fast, and adjusting quickly.
- Start Small, Win Early — Smaller milestones built momentum and confidence.
- Shared Vision with Partners — BatchLine team worked alongside SCHOTT MINIFAB through every stage, creating trust and alignment.
Measurable Results
The outcomes speak for themselves:
- 10–20% improvement in workforce efficiency
- 30% faster product release time
- Real-time data capture eliminating GDP and timestamp errors
As one QA Release representative shared:
And from the production floor:
“BatchLine is easy to use —
issuing documentation is quick,
saves time on release,
and mainly avoids GDP issues!”
“Errors with date and time are eliminated.EBR enhances data integrity by capturing data in real time — no empty fields, and it’s tamper-proof.”
The Next Step: Turning Data into Value
With all process data now captured digitally, SCHOTT MINIFAB’s next step focuses on data-driven insights — moving from visibility to value creation.
- Product-Level Insights
- Batches started vs. completed
- CTQ trends and reject rates
- Portfolio-Level Insights
- Performance across product families (e.g., injection-moulded components)
- Customer-level visibility
- Equipment-Level Insights
- Current operating status
- Maintenance events logged
- Lost time vs. availability
These analytics will be powered by BatchLine, which integrates directly with Power BI for real-time dashboards and automated reporting.
Lessons Learned & Key Takeaways
- Don’t wait for the perfect time — start small and scale.
- Choose technology that fits your process, not the other way around.
- Build a partnership, not a transaction — success grows from shared vision.
- The real ROI comes when data starts working for you
SCHOTT MINIFAB’s journey continues — from data collection to data intelligence.
The next milestone focuses on turning data into value — transforming reports, dashboards, and analytics into real-time decisions that shape productivity, quality, and future growth.
Related Case Study
Explore SCHOTT MINIFAB’s fast-track EBR implementation with BatchLine — from paper to digital in just 11 weeks.
