Reliability, Innovation, Experience

Greg Weddle, Director, Life Sciences Advanced Solutions

WorkPlace Now recently sat down with Greg Weddle and Roy Cloudsdale, two leaders in our Life Sciences market, to further explore our unique offering and provide an expert perspective of this complex industry.

What is unique about the Johnson Controls Life Sciences offering?

Johnson Controls’ offering is unique because there is a true focus on investments to support the differentiated Life Sciences market. Regulation normalizes the customer base so everyone plays by the same rules. This allows Johnson Controls to make strategic and focused investments on defined issues. We interpret these governmental regulations from an open market perspective and then craft compliant solutions for our customers.

What are the key issues our customers face?
Roy Cloudsdale, Global Market Development, Life Sciences

Many of our customers' view of facilities is derived from economic pressure. The global slowdown has led them to consider why they are trying to be experts in facilities, rather than research and manufacturing. Ultimately, they are forced to find an expert who can work in their sacred space, beyond the yellow line. This gives Johnson Controls an opportunity to flex our strength of capabilities in regulated and critical space and gain our customers' trust. 

How are we gaining customer trust?

In the past, permission to work in this critical environment would be a unique or special case. Today’s RFPs, however, are pushing us closer. As we get the opportunity to speak with concerned clients and understand their key research and production issues, we’re proving that we can do a lot more than they realized. It doesn’t change everyone’s mind, but clients are beginning to appreciate Johnson Controls' capabilities around their operational needs and regulatory demands.

What are the challenges to changing a customer’s perception?

The biggest challenge is getting the right audience, and then, getting them to listen to what JCI Life Sciences experts may have to say about their market. Many times, the most influential component is sharing an event or story that the client can relate to. The Life Sciences Advanced Solutions team has had these experiences and seen similar issues over the years. We understand what causes our customers pain and how to solve it.

Collectively, the Life Sciences team has more than 125 years of experience from all types of laboratory, regulated manufacturing and high tech industries. This firsthand knowledge and expertise gives great credibility to our capabilities.

For our existing customers, Johnson Controls is perceived as a strategic business partner and safe pair of hands to support their goals and objectives. 

What are some unique tools and technology that Johnson Controls Life Sciences team bring to customers?

Facility Risk Assessment Methodology for the Enterprise (FRAME) is Johnson Controls’ proprietary methodology for analyzing facility risk. FRAME leverages statistical approaches used for years in other industries into a pharma industry. This takes our service beyond what is traditional facilities management (FM) and into the realm of business risk management.

We also bring Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), a hugely innovative concept that allows actualization of enterprise value based on how we maintain and invest in identified assets. EAM is linked to FM delivery that integrates capital strategies, CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) leverage, LCAM (Life Cycle Asset Management), project management, and energy management. These are all informed by real-time risk positions updated through our FRAME process.

Finally, because Johnson Controls is also a manufacturer we can relate to our clients on a different level. The LSAS team has its own metrology lab, maintaining metrology and calibration services for manufacturing in all three Johnson Controls business units around the globe. Our team understands regulations that drive good delivery practices and can help clients apply these in their own manufacturing.

What is the Johnson Controls vision for its Life Sciences market?

We have created a focused go-to-market strategy, from solutioning through to delivery. A big part of our focus is on using innovation to bring transformation. Many of our customers are frustrated with internal barriers to change. Going to market is an opportunity for them to make actual change. As part of our offering, we have designed a roadmap for change detailing what investments need to be made and when, and we’ve shared successes with other clients. They don’t want to be the first to evolve and can’t afford to be the last.

For one long-term pharmaceutical client Johnson Controls used to just be bodies to deliver work that was largely directed by the client. It was difficult to bring innovation that could be acted on. Today, we are given much more responsibility to drive change ourselves. We are seen as a trusted, strategic partner and provide assurance that innovation will be done in a controlled manner. This is game changing and enables us to add value to our clients on an entirely new level.

What do you enjoy most about this market?

Greg: It’s been an exciting journey. Hard work, no doubt, but it has given me an opportunity to really make a difference. Working with our customers to understand their concerns and bring effective solutions has been incredibly gratifying.

Roy: It truly is a unique market. Having worked in all industries, the regulated market gives Johnson Controls an opportunity to differentiate. There is significant growth potential, as the market continues to embrace outsourcing and more companies are analyzing their manufacturing space and identifying what is core in that space.
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