Covid-19 Response of an Additive Manufacturing Cluster in Australia

Purpose – The sudden arrival of Covid-19 severely disrupted the supply chain of Personal ProtectiveEquipment (PPE) in Australia. This research examines the development of a geographical cluster which,through the application of additive manufacturing (AM), responded to the PPE supply crisis.Design/Methodology/approach - This longitudinal case study focuses on an AM cluster which wasdeveloped to supply PPE in a responsive and flexible manner from 2019/ 2020. The study gathered dataover three stages of cluster evolution: pre, during and post peak Covid-19.Findings – The type and nature of exchanges between organizations involved in the cluster establishedimportant insights into success factors for cluster creation and development. Using an establishedcomplexity framework, we identified the characteristics of establishing a cluster. The importance ofcluster alignment created initially by a common PPE supply goal led to an emerging commercial andrelational imperative to address the longer-term configuration after the disruption.Originality/value – Covid-19 has rapidly and unexpectedly disrupted the supply chain for many industries.Responding to challenges, businesses will investigate different pathways to improve their overallresilience including on-/ near-shoring. Our results provide insights into how clusters are formed, grow,and develop, and the differentiating factors that result in successful impacts of clusters on localeconomies.Practical Implications – Clusters can be a viable option for a technology-driven sector when there is “buzz”that drives and rapidly diffuses knowledge to support cluster formation. This research identifies thestructural, socio-political and emergent dimensions, which need to be considered by stakeholders whenaiming at improving competitiveness using clusters