Twin transition in practice: how digitization and circularity reinforce each other

The Digital & Circular Network Day, organized by Circonnect in collaboration with Versnellingshuis, brought together professionals from the construction, manufacturing, textile, and government sectors to discuss how data can contribute to both digitization and circularity. The twin transition requires new ways of thinking, systematic processes, and chain collaboration.

During the central panel discussion, it became clear that organizations feel the urgency, but also experience the complexity: investing in data-driven processes takes time and resources, while the benefits often only become visible throughout the entire chain. Nevertheless, optimism prevailed. When data is applied in a structured and reliable manner, opportunities arise for process optimization, new market models, and a lower environmental impact.

Accelerating sectors through collaboration and standardization

The day began with a series of four perspectives in which experts shared how digitization and circularity reinforce each other in practice, based on their daily work:

Jeannette Levels (Circonnect) demonstrated how companies can use digitization to develop concrete circular strategies, from smart sensors for maintenance and service life extension to business models that reduce material use. She emphasized the importance of applicable tools and chain standardization to make data truly usable.

Jaimy Nijnens (DigiC/Route Circulair) demonstrated how digitization forms the basis for dominant developments in the construction sector. Examples such as parametric design and area-specific material passports showed that digital solutions not only accelerate the design process, but also support "first time right" decisions that reduce CO₂ impact and failure costs.

Nikki Admiraal (Tex.Tracer) presented how radical transparency can be achieved in the textile chain through step-by-step supply chain tracking, authentication, and blockchain notarization. By recording primary source data—from T1 to T4 suppliers—brands can comply with ESPR/DPP requirements and gain insights into circularity and sustainability parameters.

Martijn Oostenrijk (Madaster) demonstrated how material and product data linked to asset data enable organizations to focus on circularity, environmental impact, and financial returns. Cases from infrastructure proved that the integrated use of material passports leads to shorter lead times, lower costs, and demonstrably better environmental performance.

These four perspectives made it clear that acceleration is only possible when data quality, standards, and chain collaboration go hand in hand. How exactly this can work was clarified during the subsequent panel discussion.

Integrated raw material management is crucial

The panel discussion revealed that many organizations have not yet fully organized their product and material data, resulting in fragmented information and an increase in ad hoc questions. An integrated raw materials administration system, similar to financial systems, provides structure and enables fast and reliable decision-making. Transparency and standardization of KPIs are essential in this regard: they give companies the space to link systems, shape chain-wide collaboration, and make circular initiatives profitable.

At the same time, it was emphasized that digitization can also cause tensions, for example with sensors or chips that make products traceable but themselves require additional raw materials.

The common thread: real progress occurs when individual optimization gives way to chain models in which reuse, disassembly, and value retention are central.

Practical challenges on the table

After the panel discussion, the translation to everyday practice was made with questions from the audience. For example: How can materials at the end of their life cycle be properly dismantled and processed? – Diana de Graaf (Circular Manufacturing Industry). The panel explained that transparency and insight into material data form the basis, and that financial incentives and cooperation within construction teams and chains are essential to make reuse truly profitable.

Maurice Berix (Strategic Advisor Circular South Holland) wondered whether the focus on efficiency as a motive for digitization does not cause attention to shift to optimization, leaving system change outside the scope. In discussion with the panel and the audience, it became clear how data can contribute positively to joint business models. After all, many circular solutions are only profitable when costs and revenues are shared across the chain, and further standardization and regulation are needed to implement these models on a broad scale. By activating this jointly, system change is also set in motion.

From insight to concrete application in the workshops

During the breakout sessions, participants were able to make the connection between data insights and practical application in four different workshops:

Data for Urban Mining Solar PV (Robin Quax, TKI Urban Energy)
Participants discovered how a real-time monitoring system for solar panels provides insight into the entire installed base: location, capacity, type, and technical condition. This information is essential for unlocking the urban mine and predicting when solar panels will become available for reuse or recycling. The session showed that such models can also be applied to other product groups within the circular raw materials chain.

Identifying business relevance (Jeannette Levels, Circonnect)
This workshop provided intermediaries and companies with tools to translate the twin transition into concrete business cases. Using tools and practical examples, participants explored where digital innovations reinforce circular strategies and how organizations create value through data-driven design choices and new market propositions.

Smarter Together: data, design & automation for the manufacturing industry (Alex van Geldrop, OostNL & Jan Westra, EDIH)
Based on 48 interviews with SMEs, three "digital circular buttons" were highlighted that could make the manufacturing industry future-proof. The session showed how suppliers act as accelerators and what building blocks are needed for the next phase of the DACE program. OostNL and BOM jointly launched the white paper: Two Worlds Can Be As One, which shows how digitization helps companies to work circularly, and vice versa.

Data as strategic capital for your raw material & product passport (Ad Kleinjans, VDL Group & Ingeborg Gort, Circonnect)
In this workshop, participants learned how product and material data can be collected and recorded in a smart way. The most important lesson from Ad Kleinjans: "Just get started. If you start now, you'll be a step further every year. If you wait and keep planning, you'll soon be playing catch-up." During the session, participants discovered how the Raw Material & Product Passport forms the basis for future regulations and circular business models.

The transition requires cultural and organizational change

The networking day showed that the twin transition is not only a technological challenge, but above all an organizational and cultural one. Organizations that invest in data quality, shared standards, and chain collaboration are building a future-proof position in an increasingly circular economy.