DANS Weekly Insights No. 16. The Digital Threshold: Where Many SMEs Hit a Wall

You can produce perfect parts.But if your documentation is weak you won’t enter a defence supply chain.OEMs now expect:digital traceabilitysecure documentationcybersecurity compliancecontrolled processesreal-time quality trackingconsistent audit readinessMost SMEs underestimate this step.The data point that matters:👉 In recent audits, over 50% of SMEs failed on digital maturity alone even when their technical capability was excellent.The companies that survive the next decade will not be the strongest.They will be the most traceable.

DANS Weekly Insights No. 15. The SME Overload Crisis: Capacity Exists. Time Doesn’t.

The biggest constraint for European SMEs is not capability.It’s time.Across Europe, SMEs report:40–120% increases in lead timesproduction queues stretching 6–18 monthsno time to invest in new capacityno time to qualify for new OEM programsno time for documentation upgradesno time to onboard new customersAnd here’s the number that explains everything:👉 60–70% of SMEs operate at or above 90% utilisation – non-stop, all year.This means one thing:👉 Europe’s defence expansion is running into a physical limit – the clock.If we don’t help...