FORZA Presented DRWO4.0 at International Conference in Uzhhorod

FORZA presented DRWO4.0 at the international conference “In Search of Better Forms and Practices for Ukraine: Cross-Border Cooperation in the Visegrad Four Countries”, held on 5–6 February 2026 in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

Radmila Ustych presented DRWO4.0 and the draft Danube Region Wood Industry Transformation Model towards Industry 4.0. The project supports companies across the Danube Region in adopting digital tools, smart technologies, and sustainable production practices. It offers practical guidance, training activities, and opportunities for companies to exchange experience across borders, while also linking digital transformation with circular and bio-based approaches.

At the core of DRWO4.0 lies a transnational transformation model. Companies begin by assessing their readiness for digital technologies through a structured self-evaluation tool. This process helps them clearly identify gaps, define priorities, and select digital solutions that match their size, capacity, and market position.

The transformation process is implemented through cross-regional Pilot Environments that bring together businesses, researchers, policymakers, and support organisations. Ukraine participates in Pilot Environment East, together with Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova. The project works through three main Pilot Environments:

• PE West (Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Czech Republic),

• PE South (Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia),

• PE East (Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine).

These Pilot Environments function as practical cooperation platforms. They enable exchange of experience, joint learning, and testing of digital and organisational solutions adapted to regional needs. This structure ensures that knowledge does not remain local. Solutions developed in one country can be transferred and adapted in another. By working together across borders, small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to expertise, guidance, and peer learning. The model remains flexible and can be applied beyond the wood sector in other traditional industries facing digital transformation.

In addition to DRWO4.0, we highlighted several initiatives that strengthen its overall mission. We presented the free online course “Circular Economy Transition Manager” (CirCLER, Erasmus+), which supports companies and professionals in integrating circular economy principles into business practice. We also introduced a database of circular strategies containing 300 real examples from furniture companies, including cases from Ukraine. Furthermore, we showcased the RIBES Marketplace (Horizon Europe project), where businesses can promote bio-based products, services, and solutions.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate that digitalisation, circular economy, and bioeconomy are not separate directions. They reinforce one another and provide the wood sector with practical pathways to improve competitiveness, resilience, and long-term sustainability.

The conference brought together universities, industry stakeholders, and support organisations from the Visegrad countries and Ukraine. For DRWO4.0, such events are important platforms for sharing progress, building partnerships, and strengthening cross-border cooperation in the Danube Region.