Fifty manufacturing companies demonstrate how data strengthens circularity

During the Circular Manufacturing Industry Annual Eventon June 17, 2026, OostNL and BOM presented the white paper *Managing by Value Across the Product Lifecycle* to Erwin Nijsse, Director-General for Business and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. Iris Grobben accepted the first copy on behalf of Circonnect.

The white paper was developed as part of the DACE initiative: Digitization and Automation for a Circular Economy, a collaboration between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, the European Digital Innovation Hubs Network, and the Circular Manufacturing Industry Foundation. The project was carried out by OostNL and BOM (Brabant Development Agency).
 

 

Straight from the manufacturing industry

The publication brings together real-world examples from fifty entrepreneurs in the Dutch manufacturing industry, ranging from TechNikkels and Edumar Metaalbewerking to Falco, GSE Dispensing, and Pentas Moulding. They demonstrate how data, software, sensors, and automation make maintenance predictable, reduce waste, and extend the useful life of products. The common thread: not producing more, but using what already exists more intelligently.

“These entrepreneurs demonstrate that digitization is much more than just a drive for efficiency,” says Liane van der Veen, Director of Innovation at OostNL. “Data reveals where value is being lost and where new opportunities are emerging. This enables companies to use raw materials more intelligently, extend the useful life of products, and become less dependent on shortages and disruptions in the supply chain.”

From Initial Findings to the White Paper

The insights compiled in the white paper were previously discussed during the Digital & Circular Networking Day, organized by Circonnect in collaboration with the Versnellingshuis. There, Alex van Geldrop (OostNL) and Jan Westra (EDIH) presented an initial selection from the interviews with small and medium-sized enterprises.

On June 17, Jan Westra (OostNL) and Pepijn Rinzema (TMC) led the breakout session “Digitization for Circular Working,” in which they demonstrated how data and digitization can help preserve value, reduce waste, and highlight circular opportunities.
 

 

Twin Transition and the Raw Materials and Product Passport

The white paper aligns with the broader trend of the twin transition, in which digitalization and circularity reinforce each other. Data-driven insights make it possible to focus on value retention throughout the entire product lifecycle. Circonnect’s Raw Material and Product Passport offers companies a practical path to systematically build and strategically utilize product data, leading to better decisions regarding material usage, residual value, and supply chain collaboration. At the same time, pressure is mounting from European regulations, such as the ESPR, which will soon require companies to ensure material transparency and traceability through a Digital Product Passport. Those who invest in data infrastructure now are building a position that aligns with both of these requirements.

The white paper “Managing Value Across the Product Lifecycle” canbe downloaded here