A production system that stresses the production of relatively small lots of customized or somewhat unique goods.
Comments: In manufacturing terms it is generally more profitable to produce large quantities of a single standardized product than to make small quantities of many different products. With Mass Customization however, a good many standardized techniques are used to streamline what is otherwise a difficult market to succeed in.
Mass Customization rationale might be something like; we have the equipment and personnel to anodize, machine, paint, and sand blast products so we can create alternate brand name and somewhat unique products using these processes with a somewhat standard approach.
Example: Consumers can now purchase a pair of “custom-fit” jeans on-line to suit their particular desires.
On the manufacturing side, denim has been produced in many colors and styles and often has been cut into “blanks.” Depending on the size requirements a “blank” in the range of desired specifications would then be sewn to create the custom-fit jeans.
Look for more customization in every consumer product over time and expect lead-times to become shorter and shorter as suppliers compete for your money.