Technological services in sustainable product design and conversion to new materials will equip Danish industry for a transition to a more circular economy.

Circular economy is an ambitious path to a greener, more sustainable future

Products and materials must last longer if we are to reduce our impact on the climate and minimise the use of resources. This is one of the fundamental principles of a circular economy, which is high on the political agenda and which an increasing number of companies are expected to embrace.

The transition to a circular economy is an ambitious challenge requiring technical, systemic, regulatory, and behavioural changes, but it also represents a unique opportunity to reduce resource and carbon consumption while creating growth and jobs. 

In the project entitled "Long live products and materials" we will develop technological services in the fields of sustainable product design, product lifetime optimisation and extension, and re-/upcycling for the conversion of materials into new raw materials.

This will help the industry meet future demands for sustainable product design and support the Danish electronics and machinery industry in a transformative process focused on optimising resource consumption and exploiting the opportunities presented by circular solutions.

Tools, processes, and methods in product and material technology will elevate Danish companies

The project's ambition is to develop tools, processes and methods that can give companies a significant boost towards the objective of a circular economy, thus making a qualified contribution to achieving the goal of climate neutrality in Denmark in 2050.

We will translate visions of a circular economy into specific activities focusing on sustainable product design, use-phase optimisation of product lifetimes, and improvement in opportunities to convert used materials into new raw materials through re-/upcycling. The development, testing and demonstration of technologies and methods to achieve this is a key ambition of these efforts.

cirkular economy

Technology services benefit electronics and machinery industries in particular

The potential for a shift to a circular economy is high for industry and society overall, but the electronics and machinery industries in particular, are two export-heavy sectors with great potential for a shift to a circular economy. 

These sectors typically produce complex products composed of different types of materials, including high-value materials. These products are typically meant for long-term use. At the same time, these sectors supply components to most other Danish industries; therefore, they have an impact on the industry's overall climate footprint.

As a result, primary beneficiaries include companies and value chains in the electronics industry, including IT and medical devices, and in the machinery industry in Denmark. There is a particular focus on the classic Danish strengths in measurement and control electronics, as well as on products and equipment in the pharmaceutical, biotech/medical, IT, green energy and environmental technology, advanced machine manufacturing, and maritime sectors.