Product development in the Netherlands is changing under external pressure. The shortage of technical professionals will continue to grow towards 2030, while specialized expertise in plastics, electronics, and Design for Manufacturing often resides with only a few individuals who are aging. Meanwhile, manufacturing is shifting abroad, and geopolitical tensions are forcing reshoring and friendshoring, with supply security as the primary reason for bringing production closer to home. And throughout all this runs the question: what will AI mean in all of this—will it accelerate engineering, bridge the knowledge gap, or mainly become an equalizer that competitors also possess?

As a product innovator, PEZY has witnessed many of the same challenges recurring over the past thirty years. Such as: how do I gain earlier control over my cost structure? How do I retain critical knowledge in-house? And how do I maintain control over my supply chain of vendors and production partners?

This research compares what works in practice regarding time-to-market and cost, knowledge and capacity, collaboration and supply chain, and international competition. You'll see which best practices and pitfalls others employ, from the role of AI to smart outsourcing, and which decisions determine series success. This gives you a concrete benchmark: how does your organization compare to companies similar to yours?