The circular economy in manufacturing and service solutions: An air compressor company’s ‘air as a service’

The case study highlights the integral elements of the circular economy concept and details the issues within the field of manufacturing and specifically air compressors. This case study focuses on a company whose founders have long-standing experience in the field of air compressor technology. The founders of the case company set out to solve the issues within the field and to alleviate the environmental impacts caused by traditional air compressors that utilize oil. To achieve this goal, the founders started by rethinking how air compressors are designed to refuse the use of fossil fuels and to reduce the usage of energy.

To enable a swift transition towards the circular economy, this case study aims to provide the reader with a practical example of how the circular economy and service-dominant logic can be applied in the manufacturing sector, which in many ways can be regarded as a traditional field resistant to change. Overall, this case study will discuss the themes of circular economy, sustainability and services.

Authors:

Mira Valkjärvi, University of Turku
Weimu You, Brunel University London

Published: Sustainable and Green Supply Chains and Logistics Case Study Collection

Potential beneficiaries of the results: Students, companies

More information: 

Mira Valkjärvi
mira.h.valkjarvi@utu.fi