Future European Manufacturing System for EIT Manufacturing

It has been only one year since we have published our vision for 2030, called ‘

’ An optimistic forward looking to the post-COVID-19 period, the reshaping of value chains and the re-globalisation instead of de-globalisation caused by the rise of nationalist politics and prevention measures put in place by governments to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. But with the war in Ukraine and the implications on the economic sector, mainly the energy supply for Europe, the situation has become even more complex. The manufacturing industry as a global base for prosperity and key to Europe’s economic, social and environmental sustainability and a main driver of industrial innovation, job creation and growth is heavily impacted by all these developments. But with all these short-term impacts and challenges we have to be careful not to neglect the main challenge, the future or our planet reflected in the Green Deal of the European Commission. Sustainability cannot be an “innovative” add-on, it has to be a mandatory priority. Therefore, we have to re-think manufacturing, we have to re-think WHAT we are manufacturing and HOW we manufacture.

One powerful ecosystem EIT Manufacturing connects diverse networks and expertise that are essential for the transformation of the manufacturing sector on its open innovation platform Agora for the pan-European Manufacturing community. Through its focus on education, EIT Manufacturing seeks to empower Europe with people that are capable and inspired to shape the future of manufacturing. Its Innovation pillar supports the European manufacturing community of companies and tech organizations to industrialize innovative projects. While the Business Creation team empowers high-growth, profitable companies with a positive social impact. Based on this unique ecosystem, EIT Manufacturing, in cooperation with its partners and network of contributors, is taking initiative by postulating the “European Manufacturing System” as a strategic objective for the European manufacturing industry, with universal implications. The “European Manufacturing System” is a vision to overcome traditional barriers, especially between enterprises, through an ecosystem approach. It features the transition with sustainability as a decisive factor and provides a roadmap to the vision of autonomous, self-organised production and logistics. Supported by the European data infrastructure Gaia-X,
it is a foundation for a future-oriented business philosophy that becomes reality in the traditional manufacturing industry, impacting the workforce and society at large.

to make the vision, as described in Fixing Our Future, a reality. While the Future Pillars of Change can be seen as foundational enablers, the Spheres of Action can be viewed as applied enablers for change, both offering opportunities and tools to make the vision, as described in Fixing Our Future, a reality. In complex, uncertain, and tumultuous times like these, it is important that the European manufacturing sector can imagine new systems. To see new opportunities, one should have the capacity to be open to other possibilities and to do things differently.

Future Pillars of Change - enablers for moving towards a preferred future, each of them including specific areas of action, followed by key supporting signals of change and interview quotes.

Spheres of Action - highlighting future areas of action applied to the context of the manufacturing sector.

The world is full of early signs of change, and scanning the horizon will lead to relevant future directions, developments, new behaviours, new business models, technology, values, and audiences happening. This is an overview and knowledge library, especially curated for EIT Manufacturing with over 100 signals of change, as examples of emerging manifestations towards the future of manufacturing that can help to inform innovation, strategy, and decision-making.

When talking about the future, there are expectations of working towards reducing uncertainty and volatility in the world. However, for many sectors, manufacturing included, greater uncertainty and challenges have become prevalent over the past years. Questions around how to ensure that a fair human-centred transformation is also a green transformation, what will we be producing in a future where resources are limited, and how to future-proof factories in 2030, considering people, planet and profit, just scratch the surface of areas that urgently need addressing.

Therefore, in 2021, EIT Manufacturing developed a vision for the future of Manufacturing in Europe in 2030, called ‘

’. It presents an optimistic view of what manufacturing in Europe could become, a shared vision of hope for the present and a desired future, to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of generations to come. Within this vision, ethics, circularity, and collaboration emerged as important themes for EIT Manufacturing in the future. With this vision and the stories of change, EIT Manufacturing created a guiding star for new and better futures for the European Manufacturing System.

This compelling vision and future-oriented storytelling aims to inspire thought leadership and help us consider how the decision-making of today will impact the generations of tomorrow. However, to achieve change and truly ‘fix’ our future, we need ideas, products, technologies, services, and processes that build towards the realisation of these imaginations. This is where ‘The Future of European Manufacturing System’ project comes into play.

Below an overview of the various deliverables over the last two years. Starting from the vision ‘

The Future of Manufacturing 2030 - Fixing Our Future

Matthias Weigold
George Chryssolouris
Ramon Antelo
David Peck
Christopher Krammer
Philipp Horner
Roberto Sarracco
Eleonora Marino
Patrick Grosa
Martin Plutz
Greta Monstavice
Maurizio Gattiglio
Nikolaos Papakostas
Katty Ailiesei
Marek Kotelnicki
Xavier Ballard
Klaus Beetz
Amardeep Banerjee
Wolfgang Kniejski
Nina Näsman
Paola Fantini
Edoardo Rota
Johanna Stiernstedt
Johannes Hunschofsky
Konstantinos Georgoulias
Niki Kousi
Christian Bölling

Signals of Change