# Mass Production: Examples, Advantages, and Disadvantages

> **Definition**
>
> Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of a standardized article by an automated mechanical process.

## What Is Mass Production?

Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products, often using [assembly lines](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/assembly-line.asp-0) or automation technology. Mass production facilitates the efficient production of a large number of similar products. It uses mechanization to [achieve high volume](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/050615/how-did-mass-production-affect-price-consumer-goods.asp), detailed organization of material flow, careful control of quality standards, and division of labor.  

### Key Takeaways

*   Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products, often using assembly lines or automation technology.
*   Mass production has many advantages, such as producing a high level of precision, lower costs from automation and fewer workers, higher levels of efficiency, and prompt distribution and marketing of an organization’s products.
*   Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Co., developed the assembly line technique of mass production in 1913.

![Mass Production](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/_lTFeyjbBoAK619UgwukP19mFis=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mass-production.asp_FINAL-d9dca7ce76b746e683bf4dd893d57d31.png)

*— Investopedia / Hilary Allison*

## Understanding Mass Production

Mass production involves the manufacturing of large volumes of products through automation. Mass-produced products are normally manufactured in factories on assembly lines. It uses a standard process that is repeated so every product is exactly the same at the end of the line.

Mass production involves the specialization and division of labor along with the use of (automated) tools and equipment to assemble goods. Not only does the process allow companies to manufacture their goods more efficiently, but it's also more cost-effective. And because the manufacturing process is cheaper, companies can offer their products at a more affordable price.

Many goods are mass-produced, including (but not limited to):

*   Clothing and textiles
*   Toys and electronics
*   Vehicles
*   Food (candy, canned goods, processed foods, frozen meals)

An early example of the demand for standardized products in large quantities came from military organizations and their need for uniforms and other supplies. Precision machining equipment has led to large-scale [demand](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/demand.asp) for mass-produced products created cheaply with small workforces.

## History of Mass Production

[Henry Ford](https://www.investopedia.com/henry-ford-5225035), founder of Ford ([F](https://www.investopedia.com/markets/quote?tvwidgetsymbol=f)), developed the assembly line. In 1913, he pioneered the moving assembly line to produce the Ford Model T. The reduced manufacturing time for parts allowed the company to apply the same method to chassis assembly and drastically reduced the time it took to build the Model T.

[Ford](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/082115/how-ford-makes-money.asp) continued to refine the process, even hiring someone who studied the way people moved most efficiently. From 1908 to 1927, Ford built more than 15 million Model Ts. As a result of Ford’s mass production, cars became something that the general public could afford, rather than a luxury item that only a limited number of people had access to.

Since then, Ford’s concept of time- and space-efficient production has been adopted by most industries (from electronics to food processing) to lower the costs of everyday items.  

> **Important**
>
> Mass production is also referred to as flow production, repetitive flow production, series production, or serial production.

## Advantages and Disadvantages of Mass Production

Mass production has many advantages. However, not everything about mass production is beneficial. Let's take a look at the pros and cons.

### Advantages

If production is stringently monitored, mass production can result in a high level of precision because production line machines have preset parameters.

It also results in lower costs because the [automated assembly line production](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/flexible-manufacturing-system.asp) process requires fewer workers. Manufacturers can produce products in batches, thereby [reducing the time and cost of machine setup](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/batch-level-activities.asp).

Mass production can create higher levels of efficiency because mass-produced items can be assembled at a quicker rate through automation.

Rapid assembly aids the prompt distribution and marketing of an organization’s products that, in turn, can create a [competitive advantage](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/competitive_advantage.asp) and higher [profits](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/profit.asp) for a company. For example, McDonald’s ([MCD](https://www.investopedia.com/markets/quote?tvwidgetsymbol=mcd)) has a competitive advantage in the fast-food industry because of the speed at which it can produce a meal for time-conscious customers.

### Disadvantages

Establishing an automated assembly line is [capital](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capital.asp)\-intensive and requires a significant up-front investment of time and resources. If there is an error in the production design, an extensive investment of time and money may be necessary to redesign and rebuild mass production processes. 

A revision of the mass production processes may be required for reasons other than errors. For example, if a pharmaceutical company has a comprehensive assembly line in place for the production of a popular drug, it would be time-consuming and expensive for them to respond to a U.S. [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fda.asp) regulatory change requiring a different production process.

While an advantage of mass production is that it can reduce labor costs, employees who remain part of an assembly line may lack motivation because their tasks are repetitive. The boredom caused by repetitive work can lead to low employee morale and increased levels of [turnover](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/turnover.asp).

Pros

*   High-level precision
    
*   Cost-effective
    
*   Leads to higher efficiency
    
*   Prompt distribution and marketing
    

Cons

*   Costly to fix errors
    
*   Changes can be time consuming
    
*   Bored employees
    

> **Fast Fact**
>
> Manufacturers experiment with the integration of 3D printers in the mass production of everyday products.

## Example of Mass Production

Mass production touches most of what American consumers buy, from cars to clothing to toothbrushes. For example, in 1954, every marshmallow Peep took 27 hours to make by hand. With the introduction of the assembly line, this time requirement was reduced to six minutes per Peep, and an average of 5.5 million Peeps are made every day as of 2024.

Ford took its assembly lines one step further, introducing robots that could unload a die-casting press in 1961. Now robotics play a major part in much mass production, with humans standing in as quality assurance.

## Does Mass Production Mean Lower Wages for Workers?

In some areas, factory workers are paid less and work in dismal conditions. However, this does not have to be the case. Workers in the United States tend to make higher wages and often have [unions](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/labor-union.asp) to advocate for better working conditions. Elsewhere, mass production jobs may come with poor wages and working conditions.

## Is Mass Production Expensive to Set Up?

Creating a mass production system can be expensive to set up and even more expensive to alter if changes need to be made after the production has already started. The cost of setup is generally offset by the efficiency with which products are made once the system is up and running.

## Does Mass Production Produce Quality Items?

It can. As Henry Ford proved, very complex products can be made successfully using assembly line techniques. However, if there are unforeseen problems with an element of your product, that issue can be replicated thousands of times before it may be noticed. This is why [product recalls](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/product_recall.asp) are frequent among mass-produced items.

## The Bottom Line

Mass production, also known as flow production, repetitive flow production, series production, or serial production, is a manufacturing process where goods are produced in large quantities using standardized designs, machinery, and assembly line techniques. The goal of mass production is to produce goods at a lower cost, making them more affordable and accessible to consumers. This is achieved by dividing the production process into smaller, specialized tasks that can be performed by unskilled or semi-skilled workers using specialized machinery. It should be noted that mass production is capital intensive. Mass production has revolutionized many industries, including automotive, electronics, and consumer goods, and has enabled the production of large quantities of goods quickly and efficiently.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Ford Corporate. “[The Moving Assembly Line and the Five-Dollar Workday](https://corporate.ford.com/articles/history/moving-assembly-line.html).”
>     
> 2.  Detroit Historical Society. “[Model T](https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/model-t).”
>     
> 3.  Peeps. ”[About Us](https://www.peepsbrand.com/about-us/).“
>     
> 4.  The Henry Ford. “[Robot, First Unimate Robot Ever Installed on an Assembly Line, 1961](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/183434/).”