The objective of this paper is to analyze how a market leader works with the production of both standardized and customized motors, trying to identify the elements that corroborate for the development of this last approach. Therefore, the research strategy adopted was a case study. The analysis of the data was accomplished in five phases. The results allowed to verify that the customization process of engines carry out activities in different stages of the value chain, with the predomination of the manufacturing and assembly stages. For this, the following practices associated to six enablers are developed: time-based manufacturing, supply chain, flexibility of the productive system, product project, organizational aspects, and information technology. The conclusion is that, in spite of the apparent incompatibility among the mass production and the mass customization, the adoption of both approaches has been bringing benefits associated to the exchange of information, knowledge and experience among the lines of products. Furthermore, the analysis of the demand for customized products has been subsidizing the decision for the inclusion of the same ones to the lines of standardized products.
customization; standardization; synergy