diff --git a/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/archetype-metadata.xml b/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/archetype-metadata.xml
index 58df87c..02099a9 100644
--- a/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/archetype-metadata.xml
+++ b/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/archetype-metadata.xml
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ under the License.
         <include>.gitpod.yml</include>
         <include>README.md</include>
         <include>readme/**/*.md</include>
+        <include>assembly.xml</include>
       </includes>
     </fileSet>
   </fileSets>
diff --git a/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/assembly.xml b/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/assembly.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c54c82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maven-archetype/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/assembly.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<assembly
+  xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2"
+  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+  xsi:schemaLocation="
+    http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2
+      http://maven.apache.org/xsd/assembly-1.1.2.xsd"
+>
+  <id>zip-distro-dir</id>
+  <formats>
+    <format>zip</format>
+  </formats>
+  <includeBaseDirectory>false</includeBaseDirectory>
+  <fileSets>
+    <fileSet>
+      <outputDirectory>.</outputDirectory>
+      <directory>${project.build.directory}/${project.artifactId}-${project.version}</directory>
+    </fileSet>
+  </fileSets>
+</assembly>
diff --git a/maven-archetype/src/test/resources/projects/it-basic/reference/assembly.xml b/maven-archetype/src/test/resources/projects/it-basic/reference/assembly.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c54c82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maven-archetype/src/test/resources/projects/it-basic/reference/assembly.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<assembly
+  xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2"
+  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+  xsi:schemaLocation="
+    http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2
+      http://maven.apache.org/xsd/assembly-1.1.2.xsd"
+>
+  <id>zip-distro-dir</id>
+  <formats>
+    <format>zip</format>
+  </formats>
+  <includeBaseDirectory>false</includeBaseDirectory>
+  <fileSets>
+    <fileSet>
+      <outputDirectory>.</outputDirectory>
+      <directory>${project.build.directory}/${project.artifactId}-${project.version}</directory>
+    </fileSet>
+  </fileSets>
+</assembly>
diff --git a/maven-parent/assembly.xml b/maven-parent/assembly.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c3edf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maven-parent/assembly.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<assembly
+  xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2"
+  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+  xsi:schemaLocation="
+    http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2
+      http://maven.apache.org/xsd/assembly-1.1.2.xsd"
+>
+  <id>zip-distro-dir</id>
+  <formats>
+    <format>zip</format>
+  </formats>
+  <includeBaseDirectory>false</includeBaseDirectory>
+  <fileSets>
+    <fileSet>
+      <outputDirectory>.</outputDirectory>
+      <directory>${project.build.directory}/${project.artifactId}-${project.version}</directory>
+    </fileSet>
+  </fileSets>
+</assembly>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/maven-parent/pom.xml b/maven-parent/pom.xml
index fd89035..4957ba2 100644
--- a/maven-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/maven-parent/pom.xml
@@ -352,6 +352,28 @@
           </execution>
         </executions>
       </plugin>
+
+      <!-- packaging the distro as a installable/deployable file -->
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <id>Package Ozone Artifact</id>
+            <phase>package</phase>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>single</goal>
+            </goals>
+            <configuration>
+              <appendAssemblyId>false</appendAssemblyId>
+              <descriptors>
+                <descriptor>assembly.xml</descriptor>
+              </descriptors>
+            </configuration>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
+      </plugin>
+
     </plugins>
   </build>
 </project>