Flexibility and saturation of production capacity during the COVID-19: Evidence from the field

This contribution aims to explore the determinants of production systems which allow manufacturing companies to pursue production diversification strategies, with the goal of reaching plant saturation (at least in the short period) of the production capacity in situations of decrease of demand in the markets traditionally served by the company. The empirical analysis, aimed at exploring these relationships, is conducted through the administration of a questionnaire conveyed by the sections of Confindustria of Bergamo and Trento. The preliminary results, which are based on data provided by 39 companies, show that during the 2020 lockdown, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies characterized by greater production flexibility were able to launch new products (such as disinfectant gels, masks, gowns or sanitary devices), whose production was allowed by current legislation, managing to contain the reduction in the degree of saturation of the production lines and to guarantee the maintenance employment more effectively than other less flexible firms. The aim of the study is to understand the