DRWO4.0 – Danube Region Wood Industry Transformation Model towards Industry 4.0
The Danube flagship 2025 of the Priority Area 8 was presented at the Steering Group Meeting of the Priority 8 of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region on 8 May 2025 in the framework of the congress “Virtual Worlds – Experiencing Opportunities in the Metaverse” in the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart.
The Certificate was awarded to Danijela Šarić Bartolović and Ivan Ambros, Competence Centre Ltd, HR and lead partner of the project by the PA8 coordinators Carmen Hawkins, Helia Kovačević Grčić, Katalin Kovács-Kasza Katalin, Danube Region Programme, and Cristina Cuc, Danube Strategy Point.
Baden-Württemberg Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut acknowledged the new PA 8 Danube flagship projects and offered their congratulations.
DRWO4.0 – Danube Region Wood Industry Transformation Model towards Industry 4.0
The DRWO4.0 project focuses on regions along the Danube in EU and non-EU countries in order to strengthen local players in the timber industry, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises, through knowledge and cooperation. In particular, cooperation across borders within the forestry and timber value chain is to be promoted in order to boost the resilience and competitiveness of these regions.
The project is aimed at transforming the forest-based industry across the Danube region by closing the digital gap between Western Europe and other EU regions. While some parts of Europe have surged ahead in embracing Industry 4.0 technologies, many areas still struggle to keep pace. DRWO4.0 is here to change that.
Recognizing the vast potential of the forest-based sector as a driver of sustainable development, DRWO4.0 brings together a dynamic consortium dedicated to fostering innovation, promoting cross-border collaboration, and building institutional capacity throughout the Danube region.
At the heart of the project is the creation of an innovative, adaptable, and scalable Industry 4.0 transformation model designed specifically for the forest-based sector. This model will not only serve as a blueprint for modernizing industry practices but also act as a catalyst for economic growth, environmental stewardship, and technological advancement.
Through transnational cooperation, DRWO4.0 empowers regions to take collective action on shared challenges and seize new opportunities for development in the digital era.
Duration of the project:
30 months, starting from 01.01.2024 until 31.12.2025
Budget:
1,946,560 EUR
80% funded by Interreg Funds
Lead partner
Competence Centre Ltd. for Research and Development
Danijela Šarić Bartolović, Project Manager
+385 91 622 7979
Project partners
11 Countries, 14 Partners
• Bulgarian Furniture Cluster – BG
• Cahul Business Centre – MD
• Cultural Innovation Competence Center Association – HU
• Culmena Ltd. – HR
• Faculty of Design, Independent Higher Education Institution – SI
• Agency for Sustainable Development of the Carpathian Region – UA
• Cluster of Czech Furniture Manufacturers – CZ
• KO-FA Association – RO
• Development Agency of City of Prijedor “PREDA” – BA
• Salzburg University of Applied Sciences – AT
• University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry – RS
• Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology – HU
• Wood Industry Cluster – SI
