An increasing focusing of the chemical industry on specialty products in Europe requires new, holistic approaches for product-and process development. Modular and scalable apparatus concepts allow for fast and cost-efficient adaptations of production capacities to market developments. Using the example of a case study for a specialty product the effects of fast market adaption on profitability and therefore competitive ability are depicted and evaluated. It shows that in particular the reduction of time demand from product development to the complete production plants by using smart production technologies leads to an increase in profitability.