Production plants today operate under maximum performance pressure. Series production runs near capacity limits, cycle times are continuously optimized, and buffers are reduced. At the same time, spare parts production competes for these very same critical resources.
Small batch sizes, high variant diversity and irregular demand patterns clash with equipment and processes designed for stable series production.
Compounding this are historically grown structures: dispersed machinery, fragmented workflows, and complex material flows, resulting in rising transport effort, long changeover times and diminishing transparency. Valuable production space becomes occupied while new projects demand room to grow.
To secure competitiveness and long-term readiness, a fundamental restructuring of spare parts manufacturing is required - structured, integrated and growth-oriented.
Why Restructuring Can Be the Right Solution
Increasing complexity and legacy structures erode efficiency and make a structural reorganization of the production environment necessary:
- High equipment utilization combined with limited operational flexibility
- Dispersed resources and unclear responsibilities
- Inefficient material and information flows
- High setup and changeover effort
- Occupied production areas despite growing expansion needs
- Limited transparency of loads and capacities
- Reduced responsiveness to demand fluctuations
Approach
1. Transparency Through Program & Forecast Analysis
The starting point is a systematic analysis of the spare parts portfolio, encompassing:
- Quantities and demand patterns
- Variant and technology diversity
- Lead times and setup profiles
- Existing capacity constraints
This is complemented by a reliable five-year demand forecast, providing a clear picture of future load profiles and growth scenarios.
Based on these findings, parts are clustered according to manufacturing logic, volume, and strategic relevance, forming the basis for well-founded structural decisions.
2. Systematic “Make or Buy” Evaluation
Not every spare part must be produced in-house. A structured assessment covering cost, capacity utilization, technological requirements, and strategic relevance defines a production scope that is both economically and operationally sound.
Internal resources can then be focused on value-creating components.
3. Centralization of Production Equipment
Distributed production islands are consolidated into a dedicated spare parts area. Machines, workstations, and specialized expertise are brought together in a single location. The key benefits:
- Fewer interfaces
- Clearer responsibilities and accountability
- More robust planning and production control
- Greater transparency of workload and priorities
4. Process-Oriented Layout Design
Based on future load scenarios, a detailed layout is developed that reflects material flows in a logical and efficient sequence. Short travel distances, defined buffer zones, integrated setup areas, and ergonomically designed workstations enable multi-machine operation and flexible responses to demand fluctuations. The layout is modular and scalable to accommodate future requirements.
Project Results
Freeing Up Strategic Production Space
Centralizing spare parts production releases valuable floor space beyond the dedicated area. These freed-up zones become available for new value-adding processes, technologies or capacity expansions – directly supporting the site’s long-term growth strategy.
More Productive Use of Personnel
Clear process structures and reduced walking distances measurably increase operational efficiency. Employees work in more stable, predictable processes and are able to operate multiple machines.
Reduced Intralogistics Workload
Material flows are consolidated into defined areas. Transport routes, repositioning effort, and search times decrease significantly. Intralogistics becomes more stable, transparent and predictable.
Conclusion
Reorganizing spare parts production is a powerful lever for enhancing the overall performance of a production site. Through systematic program and demand analysis, well-founded make-or-buy decisions, and process-oriented layout planning, fragmented structures are transformed into an integrated, manageable production environment.
Bottlenecks on series equipment are reduced, value floor space is strategically freed up, and workflows become sustainably transparent.
The result: measurable improvements in productivity, space efficiency, and the long-term competitiveness of the site.