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 traceability
  • secure documentation
  • cybersecurity compliance
  • controlled processes
  • real-time quality tracking
  • consistent audit readiness

Most 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.