Development of an assessment model for measuring mechanical engineering companies' circularity and maturity levels

Abstract

Abstract The circular economy (CE) has gained significance in recent years due to its potential to achieve economic benefits and address ecological challenges. Mechanical engineering companies face the challenge of transitioning to a circular economy, which offers advantages like improved resource utilisation, reduced dependence on external suppliers, and enhanced production and supply chain efficiency. However, implementing circular economy principles proves difficult for manufacturing firms. Measuring circularity poses significant challenges, necessitating assessing methods' development, application, and validation. Industry-specific key indicators and data quality assurance are crucial in this regard. Existing models struggle to adapt to diverse contexts and industries. This paper presents an industry-specific method for assessing mechanical engineering companies' circularity and maturity level, developed using the Design-Science-Research Methodology. Based on the circular value chain, the method evaluates the maturity and circularity levels of the focused sector through 66 specific questions in 33 different areas of the company. The results are divided into the maturity and circularity levels of value-adding and strategic processes and are visualised using spider diagrams. The purpose of this model is to survey the circularity and circular economy maturity of mechanical engineering companies of specific regions and sectors.