Digitalisation

In recent years, digitalisation has significantly changed social life as well as workflows and processes in the economy.  It is transforming business landscapes and the world of work, enabling new business models and redefining the boundaries of production, consumption and distribution.

However, contrary to common belief, digital technologies do not only affect industry. The craft sector has equally been touched by digitalisation. Gradually, more products and services are being ordered online. Large platforms and new apps are bringing new competitors to the market, changing margins and increasing competitive pressure on the craft industry. Furthermore, digital technologies are being used for product creation. In total, around 1 million craft businesses in Germany are affected by the changes, many of which are small businesses with 5-10 employees.

How can the craft sector benefit from this technological transformation and make the most out of it in the future?

The Competence Centre for Digital Crafts is helping small- and medium-sized enterprises on their technological path by unlocking the technical and economic potential resulting from the digital transformation. The Competence Centre provides the crafts businesses with practical information, further training and support services, such as restructuring business processes and developing online service offers as well as testing new business models in order to satisfy ever more personalised customer needs.