03/01/2025. How Modular Product Design Services Can Triple Your Revenue, Starting Now
It’s January 3rd, and if you’re like most business leaders, you’re probably thinking about how to grow in 2025. But let’s be honest: scaling in low-volume, high-mix markets feels like sprinting through quicksand. Every order turns out to be a new headache. Engineering struggles to keep up with bespoke requests. Production faces delays. Margins? Absolutely in theory, but barely worth mentioning in reality.
Let’s keep it real: the traditional “engineering-to-order” way of working is killing your organisation’s potential. Every product feels like it’s being invented from scratch because it almost is. Often, companies reuse previous designs to save costs but spend more on modifying the drawings and solving equipment obsolesce.
But what if I told you there’s a way to deliver tailored solutions to your customers without the chaos? That’s where Modular Product Design Services come in.
The Breakthrough You’ve Been Waiting For
Picture this: a European shipbuilder stuck in the same cycle you might be in now. They built complex vessels tailored to each client’s needs, but the endless customisation drained their margins and stressed their teams. The structure was more or less standardised, but clients wanted different systems for their ships, which started the chaos.
Then, they made the switch. Instead of designing the systems for each vessel from scratch, they developed a modular product portfolio—standardised building blocks that could be configured to meet almost any customer demand.
Their engineers were no longer stuck in the weeds, reinventing the wheel. Instead, they focused on innovation and strategic improvements.
The results? Engineering lead times shrank from months to weeks. Production defects dropped by over 90%. Margins didn’t just grow—they skyrocketed from 3% to 26%.
This isn’t a one-off story. It’s what happens when you transition from chaos to clarity with modularisation.
From Engineering-to-Order to Configure-to-Order
At the heart of this transformation is Modular Product Design. The concept is simple: instead of engineering every product to order, you create a portfolio of standardised modules. Think of it as a LEGO® approach to manufacturing. Your sales team helps customers configure products from these modules, ensuring each solution fits their needs while keeping your processes streamlined.
For example, let’s take a packaging machine manufacturer. Before modularisation, their engineering team spent weeks tailoring designs for every client. After adopting modularisation, 80% of their designs came straight from their standardised library. Customisation was reserved for the 20% of features that truly needed it.
The impact was immediate. Sales became faster, production smoother, and clients received their products quicker—all without compromising quality.
Why Sales Loves Modularisation
Let’s shift to the sales team. Without modular standards, sales becomes a guessing game. Every client request means dragging engineers into meetings to figure out what’s possible and at what cost. It’s slow, inefficient, and kills productivity.
But with a modular product portfolio in place, sales transforms. A product configurator guides customers through their options, showing them what’s possible without endless back-and-forth. Customers feel they’re getting a tailored solution, but behind the scenes, it’s all built on standardised modules.
And here’s the kicker: engineers only get involved when it’s absolutely necessary. The result? Faster deals, fewer delays, and more sales.
Smart Customisation: The Art of Keeping It Simple
Of course, not everything can be standardised. Clients will always have unique needs. But, most companies make the mistake of trying to integrate customisation too early in the process.
Smart customisation flips the script. Bespoke changes are introduced late in production, after the standard modules are in place. Sometimes, a standard product is finished entirely and then disassembled to implement the customisations because this keeps the production line undisturbed. The benefits outweigh the potential higher costs for the updates. This keeps your operations running smoothly while giving clients the flexibility they expect.
This is precisely how automotive OEMs offer clients the possibility of configuring their new car. All standard solutions are provided in a configurator. Buyers can select colours for the paint and interior. The OEMs also offer personalisation, where (VIP) customers can order bespoke paint colours and interior designs. This possibility is priced much higher and is mainly applied to a standard car after finishing the assembly.
Operations That Work for You, Not Against You
Here’s a hard truth: most companies’ operations are their own worst enemy. Without standardisation, every department operates like a silo, creating inefficiencies at every turn. Modular Operations change this dynamic completely.
When your product designs are modular, everything becomes easier to optimise. Production lines run more smoothly. Quality issues become rare. Teams stop scrambling to fix problems and start focusing on continuous improvement.
One client reduced production time per unit by 40% after adopting modular operations. Their teams were no longer overwhelmed by last-minute changes or unexpected delays. Instead, they delivered faster, better, and with far less stress.
Setting Your Goals for 2025
If this all sounds transformative, it’s because it is. And the best part? It’s achievable faster than you think.
Most companies start with a pilot project—a fast-moving product that can showcase the benefits of modularisation. In just 3–6 months, you’ll see results. From there, scaling to your entire portfolio is a matter of months, not years.
Detailed engineering and production planning happen as orders come in, meaning you’re always moving forward without disruption. By this time next year, your operations could be unrecognisable—in the best way possible.
Why Modularisation is the Future
The Modular5® framework isn’t about tweaking around the edges. It’s about a fundamental shift in how your business operates. With modularisation, you don’t just survive in a low-volume, high-mix market—you thrive.
- Triple your revenue
Faster sales cycles and better product quality at competitive prices lead to more orders. - 10x your profit margins
Operational savings compound as you scale. - Scale without burnout
Efficiencies eliminate the need for constant firefighting.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s happening right now for companies like yours.
Ready to Make the Leap?
2025 just started. The companies that win next year won’t be the ones that work harder—they’ll be the ones that work smarter. Modularisation is the key to unlocking your growth potential.
Don’t wait for another year of “business as usual” only to look back with regret 12 months from now. Visit our contact page to learn how Modular Product Design Services can transform your business.
The next step is simple, but the impact could be extraordinary. Let’s talk.