Supply chains are undergoing significant transformation. Key drivers such as verifying requirements, ensuring resilience and security of supply, enhancing transparency, and optimizing financial performance have accelerated this change. As a result, the focus is shifting toward on-demand sourcing enabled by digital inventories—a development that can be perceived as a challenge to OEMs’ traditional aftermarket service models. However, this shift does not necessarily need to be a threat; it can instead present an opportunity to grow aftermarket services and strengthen partnerships with customers.
By offering on-demand supply of spare parts, OEMs can help end users achieve one of their growing priorities: reducing their own inventories of slow-moving, capital-tied parts. Many equipment owners want to free up working capital, cut storage costs, and avoid the burden of managing safety stock. This creates a clear opportunity for OEMs to step in as reliable, data-driven partners. The OEM bring not only delivery security and transparent lead times, but also deep domain expertise and robust development processes. This ensures that every on-demand part reflects the latest material and design standards—giving customers confidence that they’re receiving components optimized for performance, reliability, and longevity.
New commercial models pave the way for on-demand services
Digital inventories, predictive demand forecasting, and on-demand manufacturing technologies enable OEMs to deliver parts exactly when customers need them, with transparent lead times and dependable supply. As end users downsize their internal stockrooms, they become increasingly reliant on external delivery security—something OEMs are uniquely positioned to provide.
By adopting new commercial models such subscription plans, OEMs can create new revenue streams that move beyond one-time product sales. In return, customers gain confidence to run leaner inventories without risking downtime.
In short, as end users push for inventory reduction, OEMs can capitalize by offering the assurance, responsiveness, and transparency needed to make that shift possible—turning operational support into long-term, recurring value.
Strengthen customer relationships
With a subscription-based relationship another important potential is unveiled, namely a stronger connection to the customer. This lowers the risk of churn: once a customer is integrated into a subscription ecosystem—with automatic replenishment, bundled services, and personalized support—they have fewer incentives to look elsewhere.
Take active part in the shift towards a sustainable, low-material future
Finally, on-demand spare parts contribute to a less material-intense industry. Producing components only when required reduces over-manufacturing, minimizes waste, and supports circularity. OEMs can position themselves as sustainability leaders by embracing repairability, extending product lifecycles, and leveraging technologies like 3D printing to reduce resource consumption.
Facilitating the shift to efficient, scalable on-demand production
Fieldnode Digital Inventory Ecosystem delivers on all of the above perspectives, offering OEMs a fast-track path to shift toward on-demand spare parts supply in a controlled and balanced way. The platform enables OEMs to modernize their aftermarket operations without risking revenue leakage or introducing operational vulnerabilities, ensuring they can meet customer expectations for delivery security, transparency, and up-to-date parts quality.
With innovative tools, data-driven insights, and built-in safeguards, Fieldnode makes the transition secure, profitable, and successful—empowering OEMs to capture new value while strengthening customer trust.
In short, on-demand spare parts supply is not just operationally efficient; it’s strategically smart. OEMs that embrace it can boost revenue, increase customer loyalty, and help drive a more sustainable, less material-intensive industrial future—with Fieldnode as a catalyst for making that shift both practical and high-impact.
Stefan Jansson
Commercial Director
