Design of Product-Service Systems in printing industry

Abstract

Traditional manufacturing enterprises allocated all their attention, resources, and efforts to design, manufacturing, and selling their products on the market. Changes occurring in the marketplace, growing competition, and environmental measures have rendered this traditional approach insufficient. In order to keep pace with competitors and maintain the market position, manufacturing enterprises had to make changes to their business strategies. These changes consisted in offering higher customer value and assuming responsibility for manufactured products. This is how manufacturers’ operations have got shifted from manufacturing and selling products to providing services.

On the other hand, customers are unwilling to invest huge amounts, possibly get indebted and be in the red so they are looking for solutions that would minimise investment outlays. What counts for them is, above all, the machinery working continuously at top speed and loss elimination. In addition, customers expect solutions that are tailored to meet their individual needs. They want to solve emerging problems swiftly and comfortably and expect the manufacturer’s support.

Product-Service System (PSS) is a solution, in which products and services integrated together meet customer needs and generate higher value. To manufacturing companies it is an attractive solution allowing them to achieve economic, environmental, and social benefits. Through the integration of an offer and parties to the transaction the effectiveness of activities increases as each party focuses on its core duties. It is especially important in B2B (business-to-business) solutions. Designing new PSS for new industries is an important research area. Being able to design a PSS for industrial applications is seen as the key success factor.

The study is aimed to identify the possibilities and limitations of using a Product-Service System in printing industry. There are some research methods that are used to attain the goal. They combine practical industry-specific knowledge in printing with the synthesis and analysis of Product-Service System-related literature. A PSS increases the effectiveness and efficiency of printing house operations and its financial analysis shows that there are long-term benefits to the manufacturer and user of printing machines.

The study discusses problems faced by printing houses, services that they need, as well as how and for what periods machines can be made available under a PSS arrangement. Data were collected from 80 printing houses. Results of conducted studies indicate that printing industry falls short of PSS-based solutions. On the other hand, it is important to know that printing houses are interested in them. The working out of a Product-Service System for printing industry expands the lifecycle of a printing machine and provides services that meet the needs and requirements of the printing house. These studies make a valid input into the development of PSS for a new industry, in this case, for the printing industry. They also suggest an innovative approach to PSS design based on practical knowledge of manufacturers and users of printing machines. Close cooperation with printing machine user is worth highlighting.