Accelerating Circularity in High-Tech Manufacturing: Towards a Roadmap for Implementing Digital Product Passports (DPPs) at SMEs

The transition to a circular economy presents significant challenges for high-tech manufacturing, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often face resource constraints. Digital Product Passports (DPPs) have emerged as pivotal tools for enhancing transparency, traceability, and lifecycle management in support of circularity. This study, conducted in collaboration with TechValley—a consortium of Dutch high-tech SME suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)—explores the barriers and opportunities associated with implementing DPPs. The research employs a multi-phased methodology comprising literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, and collaborative workshops with industry professionals. Participants identified key opportunities for circular design and business strategies, including cost reduction through optimized material use, improved spare parts management, and modular design standardization. Business benefits such as enhanced customer relations, increased revenues from refurbished products, and Product-as-a-Service models were also highlighted. However, several barriers hinder DPP adoption, including high implementation costs, regulatory complexities, and data integration challenges across supply chains. To address these issues, a co-created roadmap was developed, comprising five stages: technology assessment, business model analysis, collaborative workshops, pilot testing, and an innovation agenda for scaling DPP adoption. By leveraging emerging technologies such as AI and digital twinning, the roadmap prioritizes scalability and cost-effectiveness for SMEs. The study contributes to the discourse on digital longevity and circularity by providing actionable strategies for integrating DPPs into SME operations. Future work will involve implementing the roadmap in case studies to evaluate its efficacy in promoting circular value creation and sustainability in high-tech manufacturing.