Pop-Up Production: Flexible Capacity Deployment in Additive Manufacturing for Short-Term Opportunistic Production

Abstract

This study examines a novel strategic approach to very short-term opportunistic production, capitalizing on a short (but intense) flash demand that cannot be fulfilled by existing supply chain players. We term this pop-up production, inspired by the notion of a pop-up store that is well-established in temporary retail operations. Employing a dynamic capabilities perspective, two 3D printing operators were studied as they entered the market for medical equipment supplies during the outbreak of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Based on these observations, this paper highlights the characteristics of this strategy that may be successfully employed in other markets.