About Applechem
Applechem is an ISO 9001:2015 certified cosmetic ingredient supplier with a diverse range of functional products for cosmetics, personal care, suncare, hair care and homecare formulations.
Industry
Cosmetics
Location
Parsippany, New Jersey, United States of America
How this cosmetic ingredients manufacturer used Unifize to eliminate redundancies and collaborate efficiently
In this video, Wilson shares insights into how Unifize complements and enhances existing good processes, emphasizing the platform's impact on reducing resource intensity and improving quality management system efficiency. He also discusses the broader implications of using Unifize for ensuring compliance and fostering better collaboration across departments.
How this cosmetic ingredients manufacturer used Unifize to eliminate redundancies and collaborate efficiently
Overview
Wilson Lin, the visionary behind Applechem, shares his transformative experience with Unifize, highlighting how the platform has redefined their approach to compliance, documentation, and operational efficiency amidst the stringent regulatory landscape of the cosmetics ingredients industry.
Challenge
Wilson faced significant hurdles in managing documentation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and facilitating effective communication within Applechem. The traditional systems in place were not only resource-intensive but also hindered the company's ability to innovate and respond dynamically to market demands.
Solution
After exploring various quality management systems, Applechem adopted Unifize for its unparalleled flexibility, user-centric design, and comprehensive compliance functionalities. Unifize's ability to seamlessly integrate electronic signatures and manage complex documentation requirements stood out, offering a tailored solution that aligned with Applechem's unique needs.
Ease of Use
The intuitive interface of Unifize allowed Wilson and his team to customize the platform to their operational workflows, significantly streamlining the management of critical documentation without disrupting their established processes.
Communication and Collaboration
Unifize revolutionized internal communication at Applechem, centralizing discussions, feedback, and decision-making processes. This consolidation eliminated the dependency on inefficient communication channels, ensuring that crucial information was always accessible and actionable.
Documentation and Compliance
With Unifize, Applechem achieved a new level of documentation integrity and compliance readiness. The platform's robust audit trail capabilities and document control features enabled the team to maintain comprehensive records, simplifying audit preparations and regulatory submissions.
Results
Implementing Unifize led to dramatic improvements in Applechem's operational efficiency, reducing the time spent on managing change requests and documentation from weeks to days. This acceleration did not compromise compliance, instead fostering an environment where innovation could thrive alongside strict regulatory adherence.
Professional Preparedness
The detailed and organized record-keeping facilitated by Unifize empowered Wilson and his team to confidently address regulatory inquiries, ensuring that Applechem remained ahead of compliance challenges and audit requirements.
Regulatory Alignment
Unifize's comprehensive feature set supported Applechem's adherence not only to FDA regulations but also to international standards and guidelines, reinforcing its commitment to quality and safety in the cosmetics ingredients sector.
Conclusion
For Applechem, Unifize has become an indispensable ally, enabling the company to navigate the complexities of regulatory compliance with ease, enhance operational efficiencies, and ensure that every team member remains informed and aligned. Wilson's experience underscores the potential of Unifize to transform quality management and compliance processes, proving that innovation and regulatory compliance can indeed coexist harmoniously.
Transcript
[00:00 - 00:18]
Unifize itself is not a solution to having bad processes. But if you have good processes in place, but the way you execute those processes is too resource intensive, and you're having issues with keeping everyone on the same page, a platform like Unifize can solve a lot of those issues.
[00:18 - 00:32]
People hate to admit it, of course, but, you know, sometimes you just don't pay attention to it until you know that an auditor is coming in. But then if you're going to wait till that point, then you're not running a quality management system the way it was originally intended.
[00:32 - 00:46]
So, you know, being able to use Unifize and saying that we are trying to reduce the friction between documentation and compliance with what is actually going on your work day, every single day.
[00:46 - 00:48]
That's the option that Unifize opens up to us.
[00:48 - 00:55]
I'd say it's mainly a big quality of life improvement in how that process works.
[00:55 - 00:59]
Unifize ended up being the right choice for us. I would absolutely recommend it.
[01:04 - 01:19]
My name is Wilson Lin, I wear many different hats here at Applechem. I've been with the company for almost 18 years now, and so I handle marketing, regulatory, compliance as well as managing the quality assurance department here, here at the company.
[01:19 - 01:30]
So Applechem is a research and development technology company that creates and manufactures functional ingredients for the personal care and cosmetics space.
[01:30 - 01:40]
So we are in charge of making, you know, the thickeners, rheology modifiers, pigment dispersants, the stuff that makes the formulations tick inside of the consumer products that people enjoy every day.
[01:40 - 01:52]
Applechem has 18 employees right now. We're located in Parsipanny, New Jersey. Our facility here is designed for foreign office administration, R&D activities, as well as manufacturing and warehousing.
[01:52 - 02:06]
We've got customers all over the place, so anywhere from small indie brands starting out with the Nuon skincare or Suncare lines all the way to the larger multinationals like Estee Lauder and Chanel.
[02:06 - 02:15]
As a manufacturer of ingredients for cosmetics, we of course have to comply with the FDA, CFR 21, you know, the Food and Drug and Cosmetics Act.
[02:15 - 02:26]
But there's also in order to give customers the confidence that what we're making is of high quality product. We need to make sure that we're adhering to the good manufacturing processes as well.
[02:26 - 02:44]
Between the ISO 9001, the ICH Q7, CGMP Standards for quality for active pharmaceutical ingredients, we have a lot of different regulatory and quality standards that we have to be in compliance with to manufacture our products.
[02:48 - 03:23]
We weren't leveraging our quality management system to its fullest potential to help improve how we do our day to day business operations. And that's the whole point of having a quality management system in the first place is to be able to identify, control, document, and then create improvements in how those core business practices affect the quality output of your product, how that entire system works, and if the mechanics of how that quality management system operate are so difficult to work with in the first place, or so resource intensive, then it becomes a self-defeating prophecy.
[03:23 - 03:32]
Unifize from what I was reading was designed to solve that. I don't think businesses can be competitive when departments are working in data silos.
[03:32 - 03:39]
I think in the modern world now, especially as companies grow larger and they are more being merged with other companies.
[03:39 - 03:54]
And so the ability to transfer information back and forth and have everyone in different parts of the world looking at the exact same info at a single source of truth becomes more and more important for collaboration to work effectively in the modern world.
[03:54 - 04:21]
Collaboration for me now is the ability for all stakeholders involved in the development of a business or operation of a business process to be looking at a single source of truth so that any conversations, any data input or updates, all that is going to a centralized place. And there's no inefficiencies involved in keeping everyone talking about the same things with the same framework, with the same context.
[04:24 - 04:28]
The biggest improvements are around visibility and accountability for us.
[04:28 - 04:42]
We didn't have to ask if a certain document had been sent out to a supplier or if it had been sent back and filled out correctly. We didn't have to ask if certain coding documentation was already in place before we moved to another stage in the validation process.
[04:42 - 04:51]
We can see that it's already been done and so those questions, those conversations didn't need to happen again. It didn't need to happen in the first place.
[04:51 - 05:11]
Just being a central repository for all these discussions in line with a checklist of all the necessary stages, all the necessary documents, all the necessary tasks required for launching a new product makes it a lot easier to keep everyone together and talking. And this has also reduced the amount of time spent on meetings.
[05:11 - 05:23]
Every meeting, subsequent meeting is reiterating the same information all the way up to the managing director. And at that point you spent how many hours talking about the exact same thing and there's no resolution in sight.
[05:23 - 05:36]
So being able to eliminate 90% of that discussion and go straight to having all that information in a single place with the ability to enter all the information into the process on Unifize so that everyone can see it at the exact same time.
[05:36 - 05:42]
That level of transparency has been invaluable to us. It's a very much a quality of life improvement.
[05:42 - 05:49]
You know, we're glad that we were able to find a system like Unifize because it takes a huge burden off the active management part.
Unifize itself is not a solution to having bad processes. But if you have good processes in place, but the way you execute those processes is too resource intensive, and you're having issues with keeping everyone on the same page, a platform like Unifize can solve a lot of those issues.
[00:18 - 00:32]
People hate to admit it, of course, but, you know, sometimes you just don't pay attention to it until you know that an auditor is coming in. But then if you're going to wait till that point, then you're not running a quality management system the way it was originally intended.
[00:32 - 00:46]
So, you know, being able to use Unifize and saying that we are trying to reduce the friction between documentation and compliance with what is actually going on your work day, every single day.
[00:46 - 00:48]
That's the option that Unifize opens up to us.
[00:48 - 00:55]
I'd say it's mainly a big quality of life improvement in how that process works.
[00:55 - 00:59]
Unifize ended up being the right choice for us. I would absolutely recommend it.
[01:04 - 01:19]
My name is Wilson Lin, I wear many different hats here at Applechem. I've been with the company for almost 18 years now, and so I handle marketing, regulatory, compliance as well as managing the quality assurance department here, here at the company.
[01:19 - 01:30]
So Applechem is a research and development technology company that creates and manufactures functional ingredients for the personal care and cosmetics space.
[01:30 - 01:40]
So we are in charge of making, you know, the thickeners, rheology modifiers, pigment dispersants, the stuff that makes the formulations tick inside of the consumer products that people enjoy every day.
[01:40 - 01:52]
Applechem has 18 employees right now. We're located in Parsipanny, New Jersey. Our facility here is designed for foreign office administration, R&D activities, as well as manufacturing and warehousing.
[01:52 - 02:06]
We've got customers all over the place, so anywhere from small indie brands starting out with the Nuon skincare or Suncare lines all the way to the larger multinationals like Estee Lauder and Chanel.
[02:06 - 02:15]
As a manufacturer of ingredients for cosmetics, we of course have to comply with the FDA, CFR 21, you know, the Food and Drug and Cosmetics Act.
[02:15 - 02:26]
But there's also in order to give customers the confidence that what we're making is of high quality product. We need to make sure that we're adhering to the good manufacturing processes as well.
[02:26 - 02:44]
Between the ISO 9001, the ICH Q7, CGMP Standards for quality for active pharmaceutical ingredients, we have a lot of different regulatory and quality standards that we have to be in compliance with to manufacture our products.
[02:48 - 03:23]
We weren't leveraging our quality management system to its fullest potential to help improve how we do our day to day business operations. And that's the whole point of having a quality management system in the first place is to be able to identify, control, document, and then create improvements in how those core business practices affect the quality output of your product, how that entire system works, and if the mechanics of how that quality management system operate are so difficult to work with in the first place, or so resource intensive, then it becomes a self-defeating prophecy.
[03:23 - 03:32]
Unifize from what I was reading was designed to solve that. I don't think businesses can be competitive when departments are working in data silos.
[03:32 - 03:39]
I think in the modern world now, especially as companies grow larger and they are more being merged with other companies.
[03:39 - 03:54]
And so the ability to transfer information back and forth and have everyone in different parts of the world looking at the exact same info at a single source of truth becomes more and more important for collaboration to work effectively in the modern world.
[03:54 - 04:21]
Collaboration for me now is the ability for all stakeholders involved in the development of a business or operation of a business process to be looking at a single source of truth so that any conversations, any data input or updates, all that is going to a centralized place. And there's no inefficiencies involved in keeping everyone talking about the same things with the same framework, with the same context.
[04:24 - 04:28]
The biggest improvements are around visibility and accountability for us.
[04:28 - 04:42]
We didn't have to ask if a certain document had been sent out to a supplier or if it had been sent back and filled out correctly. We didn't have to ask if certain coding documentation was already in place before we moved to another stage in the validation process.
[04:42 - 04:51]
We can see that it's already been done and so those questions, those conversations didn't need to happen again. It didn't need to happen in the first place.
[04:51 - 05:11]
Just being a central repository for all these discussions in line with a checklist of all the necessary stages, all the necessary documents, all the necessary tasks required for launching a new product makes it a lot easier to keep everyone together and talking. And this has also reduced the amount of time spent on meetings.
[05:11 - 05:23]
Every meeting, subsequent meeting is reiterating the same information all the way up to the managing director. And at that point you spent how many hours talking about the exact same thing and there's no resolution in sight.
[05:23 - 05:36]
So being able to eliminate 90% of that discussion and go straight to having all that information in a single place with the ability to enter all the information into the process on Unifize so that everyone can see it at the exact same time.
[05:36 - 05:42]
That level of transparency has been invaluable to us. It's a very much a quality of life improvement.
[05:42 - 05:49]
You know, we're glad that we were able to find a system like Unifize because it takes a huge burden off the active management part.
00:56
Accelerating product development by upto 30% with Unifize
In this video, Wilson discusses the transformative impact of adopting Unifize on their product development process. Previously, their development cycle ranged from 18 to 24 months, a duration they attributed to thorough product development and quality assurance. However, since implementing Unifize, Wilson notes a significant acceleration, estimating a 30% increase in speed from ideation to pre-commercialization stages. He anticipates further efficiencies and a potential reduction in cycle time by up to 40% as Unifize becomes more integrated into their systems, highlighting the solution's capacity to enhance productivity and expedite market readiness.
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01:08
Streamlining processes efficiently in a small company with Unifize
In this video, Wilson shares how Unifize revolutionized their small company by significantly enhancing visibility and accountability. Emphasizing it as a major quality of life improvement, they highlight the streamlined processes that now require less personnel involvement. The key efficiency gains were not in manpower reduction but in the quality of communication and process execution. Unifize eliminated the need for repetitive confirmations about document exchanges and validation steps, facilitating a smoother, more transparent workflow that benefitted product leaders, quality control, and their CTO.
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02:36
Reducing redundancies and getting things done faster with Unifize
In this video, Wilson highlights how Unifize has transformed their approach to product quality and development processes. By integrating Unifize early in the R&D phase, they've significantly enhanced discussions around quality, compliance, and consumer trends. This centralization has streamlined workflows, reduced the need for excessive meetings, and facilitated better communication across departments. The platform's ability to serve as a single repository for all relevant information has led to a notable improvement in efficiency and quality of life for the team, demonstrating Unifize's impact on eliminating redundancies and speeding up project completion.
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01:24
What is the challenge with managing a QMS actively
In this video, Wilson delves into the challenges of actively managing a Quality Management System (QMS). They reveal how manual processes, over the years, made the QMS cumbersome, deterring the team from utilizing it fully for new product development and quality control. Highlighting a shift towards an electronic QMS to mitigate these issues, the speaker underscores the importance of a QMS in improving business operations, controlling quality output, and fostering continuous improvement, stressing that an efficient QMS is vital for operational success.
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03:25
What drove Wilson towards Unifize
Wilson shares his journey towards adopting Unifize, highlighting the need for an efficient system to manage documentation, change controls, and improve operational processes. Frustrated with the rigidity and inefficiency of traditional systems, Wilson sought a solution that could streamline communication, centralize information, and adapt to his company's unique processes. Unifize stood out for its flexibility, user-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, particularly appealing for a smaller company. This video encapsulates Wilson's decision-making process and how Unifize's value proposition and potential for improving quality management systems resonated with him and his management team.
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01:08
Problems with managing quality using Excel and Word
The video outlines the inefficiencies and limitations encountered when managing quality systems through traditional tools like Excel and Word. The speaker describes the struggle with document control, lack of true automation, and the inability to effectively implement reminders or systematize processes for quality management. This approach proved unwieldy, manual-intensive, and required significant personnel oversight, posing challenges for a small company with limited quality assurance resources. The transition to Unifize is depicted as a crucial move to alleviate these burdens and enhance the quality management process.
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01:12
Onboarding and adopting Unifize
This video outlines the swift and efficient onboarding process to Unifize for managing corrective actions, risk assessments, and change control within their quality management system. Highlighting the collaborative effort with the Unifize team, the speaker details how they were able to upload historical data and fully implement these crucial aspects within just three to four weeks—a timeline significantly shorter than anticipated. This rapid deployment, compared to previous experiences with other systems, underscores Unifize's ease of adoption and its immediate impact on enhancing the company's quality management processes.
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01:28
A paradigm shift in managing quality collaboratively with Unifize
Wilson discusses the significant shift towards collaborative quality management introduced by Unifize. It emphasizes the enhanced cooperation between departments, leading to a more integrated and effective approach to quality control. The speaker credits Unifize for fostering a culture of shared responsibility and streamlined communication, which has been instrumental in improving their product's quality and compliance.
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01:44
How has the definition of collaboration changed before and after Unifize
In this video, Wilson explores how the definition of collaboration has evolved within their organization after implementing Unifize. Previously marked by siloed efforts and miscommunications, the adoption of Unifize has led to a more unified and efficient workflow, significantly improving project outcomes and stakeholder engagement.
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01:23
Why Unifize was such a breath of fresh air in the quality management world
This video highlights Unifize's innovative impact on the quality management sector, praising its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and comprehensive features. The speaker describes how Unifize stands out from traditional QMS solutions by encouraging proactive engagement and simplifying complex processes, making quality management more accessible and effective.
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01:26
Making compliance a part of everyday workflow with Unifize
Wilson discusses how Unifize has seamlessly integrated compliance into daily workflows, transforming it from a cumbersome obligation to an effortless aspect of routine operations. This change has led to improved adherence to standards and regulations, with the speaker emphasizing the platform's role in making compliance natural and manageable.
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00:56
What happens when QA people develop software
This video offers insights into the unique perspective brought to software development by quality assurance professionals. It suggests that a focus on collaboration and flexibility, typically lacking in traditional QMS software, is essential for creating a system that truly meets the needs of all users. The speaker reflects on the importance of designing quality management tools that are not only about data storage but also about enhancing the user experience and operational efficiency.
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02:43
About Wilson and Applechem
Wilson introduces Applechem, detailing their focus on innovation in cosmetic ingredients. He emphasizes their commitment to developing high-quality, cutting-edge products that cater to the evolving needs of the cosmetics industry. This introduction sets the stage for understanding Applechem's market position and Wilson's role in steering the company towards its goals.
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03:29
Impact of lockdown on cosmetic ingredient manufacturers
This video discusses the significant challenges and adjustments faced by cosmetic ingredient manufacturers during the lockdown. It highlights how the industry navigated supply chain disruptions, shifts in consumer behavior, and the rapid pivot to digital platforms to maintain operations and meet demand.
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01:54
Trends in New Product Development
Wilson explores current trends in new product development within the cosmetics industry, focusing on sustainability, consumer-driven customization, and technological innovations. These trends underscore the industry's shift towards more eco-friendly practices and personalized consumer experiences.
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05:02
How Applechem approaches product development and commercialization
Applechem's approach to product development and commercialization is detailed, showcasing their emphasis on rigorous research, customer collaboration, and market analysis. The process underscores a strategic method to ensure that new products are both innovative and aligned with market needs.
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02:48
What are the quality standards followed at Applechem
This video outlines the stringent quality standards Applechem adheres to in its product development process. Emphasizing compliance with global regulatory requirements and a commitment to safety and efficacy, it showcases the company's dedication to maintaining high-quality benchmarks in the cosmetics industry.
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00:34
How big is Applechem
Applechem's current size and plans for expansion are discussed, indicating the company's growth trajectory. With 18 employees and a facility of 18,000 square feet set to expand to 42,000 square feet, the video highlights Applechem's increasing capacity for R&D, manufacturing, and warehousing in response to business growth.
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02:10
Importance of Approvals
The video emphasizes the critical role of approvals in the operational workflow, showcasing how Unifize simplifies and speeds up the approval process. It highlights the platform's ability to streamline decision-making and ensure compliance, thereby enhancing overall efficiency and reducing time to market for new initiatives.
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00:49
Document control with Unifize
This video from Wilson illustrates how Unifize transforms document control, making it more organized and accessible. The speaker discusses the benefits of centralized document management, including improved traceability, reduced errors, and enhanced collaboration, which are vital for maintaining quality standards and regulatory compliance.
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00:48
Handling audits made simple with Unifize
The video details how Unifize has simplified the audit process, making it easier to present and access required documentation. It demonstrates the platform's ability to consolidate information in a central location, significantly reducing the time and effort involved in audit preparation and execution.
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03:38
Change control with Unifize
Wilson explains the change control process within Unifize, highlighting how the platform facilitates smoother transitions and better communication. This approach ensures that all modifications are adequately reviewed, approved, and documented, contributing to continuous improvement and operational integrity.
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02:54
Corrective actions and risk assessment with Unifize
This video showcases how Unifize streamlines corrective actions and risk assessments, enabling more efficient problem resolution and risk management. The speaker emphasizes the platform's role in promoting a proactive approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, thereby improving overall safety and compliance.
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03:06
Raw material validation with Unifize
The video delves into how Unifize streamlines the raw material validation process, enhancing efficiency and ensuring compliance. It highlights the platform's role in simplifying complex validation procedures, thereby facilitating a more robust quality control framework.
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01:25
Enhancing traceability and improving visibility and accountability with Unifize
This video showcases Unifize's capabilities in boosting traceability, visibility, and accountability within organizational processes. The speaker illustrates how the platform fosters a transparent environment where tasks and responsibilities are clear, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
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03:10
Investigating deviations with Unifize
The video explains Unifize's approach to managing deviations, emphasizing the platform's effectiveness in identifying, analyzing, and resolving discrepancies swiftly. It highlights how Unifize facilitates a comprehensive investigation process, contributing to higher standards of quality and compliance.
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01:18
Why should a cosmetic ingredients manufacturer consider using Unifize
Wilson discusses the specific benefits of Unifize for cosmetic ingredient manufacturers, focusing on the platform's role in enhancing collaboration, quality control, and regulatory compliance. The video underscores the importance of adopting advanced tools like Unifize in a competitive and highly regulated industry.
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