Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 | Innovation lab for smart industry

Supporting SMEs with hands-on access to the Kortrijk lab, Industry 4.0 tools, expertise and tailored pathways

The Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 project establishes new laboratory and mobile infrastructure to help manufacturing companies accelerate their transition towards Industry 4.0. These facilities enable companies to experiment with advanced technologies, validate solutions on-site, and define tailored improvement pathways. By combining research, demonstration and hands-on support, this project provides companies, particularly SMEs, with practical tools to enhance quality, efficiency, reliability and sustainability.

Context

Manufacturers today face increasing pressure to adapt to global competition, disruptive technologies and sustainability requirements. While many tools and methods exist, there is no single recipe for achieving manufacturing excellence. Each company needs tailored, accessible solutions to move forward. Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 addresses this gap by bringing expertise and advanced technologies, including XR, AI and IoT, directly to companies. This approach ensures that SMEs can experiment, learn and improve in a way that matches their specific needs and short- to medium-term goals.

Objectives & results

At the core of Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 is the Operator Experience Lab in Kortrijk, a state-of-the-art demonstration facility where companies can experience Industry 4.0 in practice.

Approach

The Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 project is built around the idea of giving companies direct access to cutting-edge infrastructure. Through the Operator Experience Lab in Kortrijk and the mobile demonstration units, manufacturers can experiment with Industry 4.0 technologies in a realistic production environment. 

Companies are invited to use these facilities to:

1. Test and validate solutions that match their own production context
2. Explore new technologies and working methods in a hands-on way
3. Gain insights that support concrete improvements in their daily operations.

By bringing advanced research infrastructure closer to industry, Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 ensures that SMEs can move from abstract concepts to practical, company-specific applications of Industry 4.0.

Target group

The project is designed for the manufacturing industry, with a strong focus on SMEs seeking to strengthen their competitiveness.

Funding

This project is part of the GTI West Flanders. Within the Flemish ERDF programme, the European Commission allocated additional funds to support regions with strong strategies to address industrial challenges. A series of projects focuses on the innovation of our industrial fabric, spread across the entire province of West Flanders. In total, West Flanders, Flanders and the European Commission have made more than 22 million euros available for this purpose. 

The Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 project has a total budget of €1,859,998.80, financed through three sources:

• €743,999.52 – ERDF (European Regional Development Fund)
• €418,499.73 – VLAIO (Fund for Innovation & Entrepreneurship)
• €29,437.48 – Province of West Flanders

Project number: EFRO1873