Case Study: Dalton Pharma Services

Dalton Pharma boosts productivity and customer service during acquisition by entrusting IT services to Ricoh

About our customer

Dalton Pharma is a contract research and manufacture organization (CDMO) based in Toronto, Canada. For over 30 years, the company’s CDMO services include drug discovery, formulation and process development, custom synthesis, cGMP API manufacturing and cGMP sterile fill/finish. Strictly adhering to international health regulations, Dalton Pharma aims to deliver quality medicines on a global scale and in a timely manner.

Dalton operates with a guiding mission to “benefit the world by being the ultimate drug development and manufacturing resource.”

“While we focus on expanding our business, it’s important that our managed services provider stays flexible and knowledgeable to help us make the best decisions for our company.”
Dr. Jixing Wang
President and COO of Dalton Pharma

Challenge

Acquisition in 2020 brought unforeseen business requirements
Small IT team; 2 full-time employees providing IT support on-site
Heavy regulations on business per FDA and Health Canada audits
Manage multiple and complex customer projects throughout the year as a leading CDMO service provider to leading global pharmaceutical company customers

Dalton Pharma embarked on a rapid expansion journey since 2015 as their physical facilities grew and they garnered more contracts. This highlighted an opportunity to re-evaluate their outdated IT and hardware infrastructure. Prior to the partnership with Ricoh, the company had a small IT team of 2 full-time employees who managed day-to-day IT needs. However, they soon realized the benefits of an all-encompassing service provider to help refresh their general IT infrastructure.

Furthermore, Dalton Pharma was acquired by a Japanese pharmaceutical corporation in March 2020 and wanted a partner with a wide array of IT skills that could address their growing needs from enhanced cybersecurity, office expansion to software/hardware upgrades. Additionally, there was a need to update their infrastructure to be more user-friendly and reliable for hybrid/remote employees. Regulatory audits and cybersecurity safety were also a top concern.

With their highest priorities being the fast production of life-changing medicine and the innovation needed to manufacture these solutions, the company sought a flexible IT and managed services partner with the knowledge, experience, and expertise to support the company’s growth and anticipate future needs.

Solution

“Our organization now has peace of mind to take on greater initiatives with the support of Ricoh as an invaluable partner in our journey.”

Dr. Jixing Wang, President and COO of Dalton Pharma

Fully managed, on-site and remote support (100 hrs/week)
Hardware/software upgrades
Network extension to second office location
IT audits - compliance with Health Canada, FDA, HIPPA
Cybersecurity services and training; multi-factor authentication adoption

Since 2018, Ricoh has worked in close partnership with Dalton Pharma to support their journey through a major acquisition and the challenges of a changing world.

We began by refreshing their hardware and software with innovative solutions to future proof their IT infrastructure. The company now leverages cloud solutions to support both hybrid and remote employees. When Dalton Pharma opened a second office, Ricoh ensured the network was in sync with Dalton’s headquarters. We also have remote and on-site team members that now manage day-to-day IT needs.

Ricoh has enabled Dalton to stay ahead of cybersecurity risks through multi-factor authentication adoption and security awareness training, along with other managed services that prioritize FDA/Health Canada regulations.

Results

On-premises IT fully managed by Ricoh
Simplified compliance in Canada and on a global scale
Quick and easy access to various SMEs (Network, Cloud, Data Backup, etc.)
Continuous improvements on cybersecurity

Dalton Pharma Services trusts Ricoh to not only introduce and implement leading hardware and software, but also anticipate their evolving needs. By constantly communicating with Dalton’s leadership and employees alike, Ricoh ensures the company has full visibility into a wide array of solutions that keep them competitive in the global pharmaceutical market.

Our team on-site and behind-the-scenes provides reliable and flexible support, as Dalton Pharma continues to expand their offerings. Now with a strong IT foundation, the company can allocate more time and resources to their core work of developing life-saving medications.

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