A production system model for Mini-Factories and last mile production approach

Downsizing the production system model within a urban environment represents an opportunity for re-shoring the manufacturing industry. A strong involvement of End Users in product design and development, manufacturing and distribution is essential for traditional SMEs, which strive to find new business opportunities and to be as close as possible to their Customers. Manufacturing systems based on a Mini-Factory approach is one of the modern pervasive production models providing tailored products with low cost and short delivery time. After analyzing the definition and key characteristics of a Mini-Factory in literature, essentially based on contributions by Reichwald, Stotko & Piller [1], a new production system model is proposed. Indeed, due to its peculiarities, this model has been reviewed and updated, to better reflect the challenges in the European furniture sector and to eventually extend the results to further industries.