As manufacturing companies confront rising environmental, social, and economic challenges, digital transformation emerges as a vital enabler of sustainability. However, achieving meaningful impact requires more than adopting advanced technologies; it demands collaborative approaches that embed sustainability into the core of the industrial value chain. This thesis examines the so-called twin transition, defined as the integration of digital transformation and sustainability, by investigating how collaboration enables the co-creation value between manufacturing companies and technology solution providers (TSPs), which design, integrate, and deliver technology solutions, as well as among TSPs themselves, thereby contributing to sustainable production.

The research demonstrates how digital technologies can drive sustainability through collaborative efforts between manufacturers and TSPs. Building on theoretical insights and empirical findings, it conceptualises a value constellation in which manufacturers and TSPs collaborate to provide tailormade technology solutions that foster sustainability. This approach shifts the focus from fragmented or isolated initiatives toward a collaborative value constellation, where digital technologies are applied to improve operational performance and contribute to environmental and social outcomes.

Furthermore, the thesis synthesises theoretical and empirical insights to support the twin transition, with a particular focus on how manufacturers and TSPs can collaborate and leverage digital technologies to drive sustainability. The contributions of this thesis rest on three interrelated pillars: (1) embedding value co-creation as an approach across interconnected actors to drive sustainability, (2) demonstrating how inter-organisational collaboration can align digital and sustainability agendas, and (3) leveraging strategic use of digital transformation to foster sustainability into both technological and non-technological innovation processes. By synthesising theoretical and empirical insights, this research makes contributions to the fields of innovation management, digital transformation, sustainability, and collaboration studies.

Advanced manufacturing research for sustainable battery life cycles is of utmost importance to reach net zero carbon emissions (European Commission, 2023a) as well as several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), for example: 30% reduction of CO2 emission, 10 million job opportunities and access to electricity for 600 million people (World Economic Forum, 2019). This editorial paper highlights international motivations for pursuing more sustainable manufacturing practices and discusses key research topics in battery manufacturing. Batteries will be central to our sustainable future as generation and storage become key components to on-demand energy supply. Four underlying themes are identified to address industrial needs in this field: 1. Digitalizing and automating production capabilities: data-driven solutions for production quality, smart maintenance, automation, and human factors, 2. Human-centric production: extended reality for operator support and skills development, 3. Circular battery life cycles: circular battery systems supported by service-based and other novel business models, 4. Future topics for battery value chains: increased industrial resilience and transparency with digital product passports, and next-generation battery chemistries. Challenges and opportunities along these themes are highlighted for transforming battery value chains through circularity and more sustainable production, with a particular emphasis on lithium-ion batteries (LIB). The paper concludes with directions for further research to advance a circular and sustainable battery value chain through utilizing the full potential of digitalization realising a cleaner, more energy-efficient society.

Circular value chains, driven by sustainability goals and resource efficiency, are now central in industrial strategies. Simultaneously, digital technologies transform business models and accelerate the shift towards circular economies. This paper explores circular material flow for the electrification of the vehicle fleet, focusing on the Lithium-ion battery value chain. In the paper, a conceptual model integrating digitalization is developed and evaluated to enhance efficiency and product innovation. The paper reviews the lithium-ion battery value chain literature and investigates digitalization potentials for circular business models. A conceptual model is presented in this study to represent the intricate relationship between each stage of the value chain and the concept of circularity while considering the carbon footprint and complexities associated with the implementation of digitalization.

This study focuses on the role of small technology solution providers (TSPs) in supporting digital transformation and sustainability in the manufacturing sector. It explores the challenges and opportunities of developing and adopting tailor-made technology solutions for sustainable production and the role of TSPs in the design, development, and implementation of such solutions in value constellations. It also identifies key stakeholders and summarizes the attributes of a collaboration strategy, proposing a conceptual framework and model for a collaborative process. The findings emphasize the need for long-term collaborative relationships between manufacturing companies and TSPs to successfully adopt digital transformation. Furthermore, this study includes sustainability as an outcome in the proposed collaborative process for developing tailor-made technology solutions for sustainable production. Further, collaboration can help overcome digital transformation and sustainability challenges, with TSPs playing a crucial role in supporting the twin transition. The results can guide both TSPs and manufacturing companies in their efforts to achieve sustainable and competitive production operations through digital transformation.

This document describes the Table & Swirl method, which is a quick visualization method for aspects of circular material streams. Use the method to structure and visualize information to understand and share aspects of material streams in a circular economy. It is a time efficient way to start interesting discussions on any topic related to a circular material stream. The method is built around the Table, a tool to in a structured way gather information and the Swirl, which provides quick visualization.

The feedback from our test workshops and end-users were: • ”An eye opener!” • ”First, I thought the model was too simple, then I realized how quickly we got into interesting discussions.”

This method was developed in the year 2023 by the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) and Luleå University of Technology (LTU) in the joint project “Feasibility study: Five circular material streams for batteries“, which was financed by Energimyndigheten, the Swedish Energy Agency.

The rapid ongoing digital transformation creates new opportunities to generate value but also challenges companies in the manufacturing industry to adapt to the recent changes. Moreover, committing to sustainability is essential to maintain competitive advantages, build a more resilient company, and manage increasing societal demands and regulations. Referred to as a “twin transition”, the digital transformation can positively impact firms’ commitments to environmental sustainability. This paper explores challenges that small technology solution providers face on their path toward developing sustainable production solutions for their manufacturing customers. An empirical study was conducted in an industrial cluster of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) providing innovative, tailor-made production technology solutions to manufacturing companies. As a result, a collaborative process model was suggested for such SMEs to overcome internal and external barriers to obtaining sustainability, thus better supporting the manufacturing companies, i.e., their customers, to strive towards more sustainable production.

Automation technology solution providers (ATSPs) offer tailor-made production solutions to their customers. In today’s competitive manufacturing industry market, affected by rapid technological transformation, ATSPs need advanced technology skills and high innovation capabilities to develop the right solution for specific customer challenges. This paper is based on an empirical study of 19 small and medium-sized ATSP companies in an industrial cluster. It discusses the role of inter-organisational collaboration for small ATSPs to enhance innovation and mitigate the resource challenges that they face due to their limited size. A conceptual model for collaboration strategies is proposed to support ATSP developing production innovation.

The advances in digital technologies enable organisations to develop new digital products and services, new business processes, and novel business models. Innovative digital solutions and business concepts are changing the environment of traditional production management systems. This paper aims to explore value constellations where small automation solution providers contribute to improving their customers’ production systems. An empirical study is conducted to outline the digital transformation value constellation and possible created values for both automation technology solution providers and manufacturing industries. The paper presents different approaches to how automation solution providers contribute to innovative customised digital transformation in manufacturing firms.