Finnish manufacturers lead the way in twin transition with DIM Initiative

In a bold move towards sustainability, Finnish manufacturers are spearheading the green transition with the Deepening Integration in Manufacturing (DIM) initiative. This strategic project aims to address the dual challenges of green and digital transformation by fostering a community-driven innovation ecosystem. Aligned with Finland's goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and increase RDI investments to 4% of GDP by 2030, the DIM initiative is structured around four key pillars: community building, digital learning platforms, competence networks, and proofs of concept.

The DIM initiative is set to strenghten Finland's position as a global leader in innovation collaboration, supported by the data economy. By leveraging the strengths of each participant, the initiative will establish a national network of competence centers, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the Finnish manufacturing sector. This collaborative effort is poised to turn the twin transition into a national competitive advantage. The DIM project is a continuation of the OSME project which focused on building a platform for Open Smart manufacturing ecosystems.

Community Building and Digital Learning Platforms

The DIM initiative will cultivate a knowledge-sharing and capability-building community among participating organizations, including companies, universities, cities, and policymakers. This will deepen integration within the Finnish manufacturing sector and accelerate digitalization, particularly among SMEs. Additionally, the community will disseminate Finnish manufacturing expertise internationally, thereby enhancing Finland's reputation as a leading manufacturing competence center. To bolster network-level capability-building, the DIM initiative will develop digital platforms for ecosystem-level communication. Effective data sharing is essential for competitiveness and productivity, transforming data into actionable knowledge. The initiative will support the development of proof-of-concept solutions for enhanced collaboration, underpinned by research on collective learning.

Competence Network and Proofs of Concept

The DIM initiative will strenghten collaboration between competence centers and support the testing, piloting, and scaling up of solutions. This will ensure the co-implementation of the transformational agenda in driving decarbonization and digitalization.

Mirka's Circular Economy Project

Mirka is a participant in the DIM initiative, exploring the transition from a linear to a circular production model through the CIGMA project. Mirka’s workstream focus on how to leverage advanced technology fully in a future circular grain factory. Key points to achive this is by finding value from data and effectively integrate the collaboration between operator and technology. The current digital development is rapid and require effective digital ecosystems which is one key focus in DIM project.

“I expect that this project will help us to learn more and further realize the benefits of working in ecosystems and that we will become more efficient through these kinds of collaborations, instead of working on the same things in silos within Finland’s manufacturing industry”, says André Norrback, Technology Manager at Mirka.

Project consortium includes Synocus, Tampere University, Konecranes, Wärtsilä, Promeco and Mirka.