Sustainability in Manufacturing SMEs: Bridging the Gap Between Circular Economy Potential and Implementation

The transition from a standard linear economy to a circular economy (CE) is becoming increasingly necessary as companies face growing environmental and economic pressures. On a more specialized scale, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing industry face significant challenges when attempting to adjust their company’s practices. This paper explores key CE concepts and connects them with real-world applications in the metalworking and tool & die industries. Results of an SME survey demonstrate interest in circular strategies but reveal significant barriers to implementation. To address this issue, business tools are introduced to support SMEs in evaluating their current capabilities and guiding a structured transition toward a circular business model.