Take a look at; Any way goes: Identifying value constellations for service infusion in SMEs

Perhaps these papers could be useful.

Baines, T.S., Lightfoot, H.W., Benedettini, O. and Kay, J.M. (2009), “The servitization of manufacturing: a review of literature and reflection on future challenges”, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 547-67.

Baines et al (2010) The adoption of servitization strategies by UK-based manufacturers

Lay et al (2010) "The relevance of service in European manufacturing industries", Journal of Service Management, Vol. 21 Iss: 5, pp.715 - 726

Martinez, V., Bastl, M., Kingston, J. and Evans, S. (2010), “Challenges in transforming manufacturing organisations into product-service providers”, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 449-69.

Thomas et al (2012) "Identifying the UK's manufacturing challenges as a benchmark for future growth", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 23 Iss: 2, pp.142 - 156

Best regards

SME manufacturing and selling cutting tools to large company

Under servitization model they manage cutting tool inventory within large company, decide when they need re sharpening or replacing and provide optimised tool set ups

All large company does now is collect tool, everything done for them

Apparel SME manufacturer in Europe has become a service provider, in recent years, integrating various services to major brands. Thus the apparel manufacturer include services ranging from design and development, management of confections (manpower), logistics and even resale of product. See apparel and suplly chain literrature.

Servitization in SMEs means for example working in networking design in a sharing platform of ICT as in case of luxury shoes in north-east Italy

Implementation of SPC with FMEA in Less-Developed Industries with a case study in Car Battery Manufactory

Normally in supply chain or logistics where order from customers in small are send to via courier (all provide by SMEs). Courier service is a part of services provided by the manufacturer during this time.

Take a look at Gebauer's categorization of different types of service offerings an organization might have; it is quite easy to find examples in each of these. SME's do provide education, maintenance, development and so on just like the major OEM's do. The main difference is that they do not have the capacity to do it all themselves (not even the OEM's do that) but use their network to deliver. They also need to be more agile than a larger company can/want to be.

Take a look at what Heiko Gebauer has written; he is probably the most productive researcher in this area. My collegue Lars Witell is also very active in this area (especially the SME angle); you may want to look at what he has done. If you start here you will find traces leading to Cambridge and Andy Neely's group, to Wolfgang Ulaga and to Hanken (christian Kowalkowski) and Aalto University (Saara Brax).

I have two exempla.

The first is a company that designs and builds control systems for steel mills. They recently shifted from "just" selling the system, to selling the time performance connected with the system supply. More in detail, they offer a "disaster recovery" package that ensures that the steel mill is put again in operation in very short time.

Another exemple is a company that manufacures flow-pack packaging machines especially used for biscuits and crackers. They recently set-up a "service shop" at their premise where they cross-sell accessories for their customers, such as test machines to chech packaging quality; packaging plastic film; etc.

You may also find clarifications in the following: Heiko Gebauer, Marco Paiola, Bo Edvardsson, (2010) "Service business development in small and medium capital goods manufacturing companies", Managing Service Quality, Vol. 20 Iss: 2, pp.123 - 139.

These papers are also interesting:

"Reversed servitization paths: a case analysis of two manufacturers" Max Finne, Saara Brax, Jan Holmström

"Service addition as business market strategy: identification of transition trajectories" Paul Matthyssens, Koen Vandenbempt,

There is an excellent example of SME start-up firmly based in audio product sector moving towards servitization model (check out establishment of company and product development strategy in 2005 Industrial Marketing Management article "Specifying and synchronising partner activities in the dispersed product development process" (IMM, 2005, 34, pp 85-95, Perks H). In 2008 company then started experimenting with servitization model and set up new partnership with transport consultancy company as route to expand presence and new product/service offerings in this field. Utilises network/partnerships to access service capabilities. See various websites on the company.