During COVID, we faced an interesting challenge. Due to restrictions in China, one of our former clients experienced a supply chain breakdown because he had ordered parts from two different factories, and one of them was temporarily shut down.
His project was stuck. The molds had been delivered, and all the details were finalized. But reality hit: no one was available to manufacture the necessary components.

By April, the client presented this case to us: The client’s company couldn’t assemble the final products because one crucial part was missing. To manufacture this final part, he needed two components (as previously mentioned, it wasn’t possible to produce them because one factory was closed).

Switching to a new factory presented multiple challenges—time, travel restrictions, negotiations, material compatibility, and technology requirements. Even if he found a new factory, shipping delays remained an unpredictable factor.

How we solved the problem:
🔹 Together with the client, we decided to transport one of the parts to Lithuania.
🔹 He began preparing his own assembly space on-site.
🔹 We started printing both parts locally (body using MJF, gasket using SLA).
🔹 We established a consistent workflow, including on-demand manufacturing (we chose this approach because of the uncertainty surrounding when the situation would normalize).
🔹 During the preparation phase, we assembled everything ourselves and transported the completed products to the client’s site.
After approximately one month, the gaskets arrived at his factory. At that point, we switched to printing only the bodies while the client’s assembly line became fully operational. A few months later, he successfully negotiated with new suppliers in China and resumed conventional manufacturing.

What I learned from this case:
🔹 Always have multiple manufacturing options, including conventional methods.
🔹 Creative problem-solving can bridge significant gaps.
🔹 Agility and on-demand manufacturing are business savers.
🔹 The ability to adapt rapidly to supply chain disruptions is essential for business resilience.

Why did I remember this case?
The same client called us recently, starting with small talk, asking about how we were doing. Then, he asked about our current workload and whether we would be ready to repeat everything if needed.