DRWO4.0: A Transnational Model for Digital Transformation in the Forest-Based Industry

The project DRWO4.0 – Danube Region Wood Industry Transformation Model towards Industry 4.0 unites 14 partners across 11 Danube-region countries to modernize the forest-based industry through Industry 4.0 digitalization. Representing approximately 7% of the EU’s manufacturing GDP and sup-porting nearly 3.5 million jobs across over 400 thousand companies, this sector is vital to rural em-ployment and the low‑carbon bioeconomy. However, disparities in the adoption of digital and ad-vanced technologies persist, especially in less developed and non-EU regions, manifesting as loss of customers, limited high‑value green wood products, and competitive gaps.
To narrow these gaps, DRWO4.0 implements a replicable, adaptable transformation model grounded in a three‑pillar approach: interdisciplinary baseline assessment, mapping stakeholder capacities and readiness toward Industry 4.0, establishment of Pilot Environments (PEs) to engage diverse stake-holders and foster transnational knowledge exchange, and capacity building to enhance adoption of the model. Anchored in the Quadruple Helix, linking science, policy, industry, and society, the model aims to equip SMEs, educational institutions, policymakers, and authorities with transformative tools, fostering uptake of actionable guidelines and strategic transformation plans
Milestones achieved so far underscore this trajectory: the completion of the Baseline Assessment and Transnational Action Plan, the establishment of Pilot Environments, capacity-building and “train-the-trainer” activities including thematic study visits and workshops on LEAN methodology, non-destructive testing, and sustainable construction, and the initiation of the development of the Industry 4.0 Transformation Model and Guidelines.
Through its inclusive and transnational approach, DRWO4.0 enhances resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability in the Danube region’s wood-based industries, providing a forward-looking blueprint for digital transformation and policy innovation.