Design/methodology/approachWe examine the choice of in-house operations versus buying maintenance in the Swedish mining industry through a qualitative case study approach. FindingsThe findings reveal a strong tendency to outsource maintenance. Research limitations/implicationsThis in turn has a strong influence on the firm's capabilities and long-term competitive advantage and sustainability. Practical implicationsBased on the empirical findings, we comment on the strength and weaknesses of the different outsourcing and attempt to find practical solutions that assist the firm in creating competitive advantage. Originality/valueThe unique contribution of this study is that it extends prior firm capabilities studies by investigating the impact of capability loss specifically in complex, intricate maintenance processes in a dynamic industry.3