Unlocking the potential of digital servitization for achieving sustainable industry: A case study of additive manufacturing
D.L. Jongeling (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)
L.M. Kamp – Mentor (TU Delft - Energy and Industry)
M. Kolagar Daronkola – Mentor (TU Delft - Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship)
H. Khodaei – Mentor (TU Delft - Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship)
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Abstract
Sustainable and digital manufacturing is gaining traction. This shift has increased interest in digital servitization, the strategic transformation process of industrial firms and their ecosystems. Digital servitization integrates business model innovation, ecosystem orchestration, and digital technologies. The process enables firms to integrate digital services into their business models, taking advantage of technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing to drive operational efficiency, resource optimization, and new revenue streams.
Although additive manufacturing is widely recognized for its potential to enhance material efficiency, reduce waste, and enable circular economy principles, its integration with digital servitization remains underexplored. This study investigates how digital servitization contributes to sustainable benefits in the manufacturing industry and how firms can structure its adoption within an additive manufacturing ecosystem. Using an exploratory single-case study approach, the research examines a laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing ecosystem orchestrated by a leading original equipment manufacturer. The study draws on 25 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including industry executives, supply chain actors, and independent experts. Thematic analysis, following the Gioia methodology, identifies key enablers, barriers, and pathways to the adoption of digital servitization in an industrial ecosystem.
The findings highlight that digital servitization fosters sustainable benefits by enabling business model transformation, ecosystem-wide coordination, and digital technology integration. However, its successful implementation requires a structured, staged approach in which business model innovation precedes ecosystem orchestration and adoption of digital technology. The study proposes a framework that guides firms through this transformation, emphasizing the need for strategic alignment between these three pillars. In addition, it identified key challenges such as the reluctance to share data, difficulties in demonstrating return on investment, and limitations on interoperability.
This research contributes to the theoretical discourse by extending digital servitization research beyond firm-level implementations and providing empirical validation of its role in enabling sustainability in manufacturing ecosystems. It also offers actionable information for industrial firms, policymakers, and technology providers on how to systematically adopt digital servitization strategies to improve economic, environmental, and social sustainability. By bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks and industrial implementation, this study advances the understanding of how digital servitization can be effectively leveraged to drive sustainable industrial transformation.