From Vision to Practice: Realizing Net-Zero Manufacturing Through Circular Economy and Smart Production

Call for Papers: From Vision to Practice: Realizing Net-Zero Manufacturing Through Circular Economy and Smart Production

Journal: International Journal of Production Research
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30 September 2026

About the Special Issue

The global transition toward net-zero manufacturing has become a critical priority as industries face increasing pressure from climate commitments, regulatory requirements, sustainability targets, and economic challenges. Governments and international organizations are accelerating efforts to promote clean technologies, sustainable industrialization, and responsible resource consumption to achieve carbon neutrality and long-term environmental resilience.

Net-zero manufacturing extends beyond traditional emission reduction and decarbonization strategies by integrating technological innovation, circular economy principles, and smart production systems. Achieving this transformation requires redesigning production processes, supply chains, and lifecycle strategies while leveraging advanced digital technologies to optimize resource utilization, energy efficiency, and operational performance.

Smart production technologies based on Industry 4.0, including artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, automation, digital twins, and intelligent decision-support systems, are playing a vital role in enabling climate-neutral industrial operations. At the same time, circular economy practices such as closed-loop supply chains, waste minimization, remanufacturing, and resource recovery are becoming essential pathways toward sustainable manufacturing.

This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and practical applications that demonstrate how circular economy strategies and smart production technologies can support the realization of net-zero manufacturing.

Topics of Interest

Submissions are invited on topics including, but not limited to:

• Closed-loop supply chains and waste reduction initiatives for low-carbon manufacturing
• Industry 4.0-enabled smart operations for net-zero manufacturing transformation
• Life-cycle assessment of sustainable manufacturing processes
• AI-driven optimization for energy-efficient production
• Big data analytics and decision-support systems for carbon footprint reduction
• Renewable energy integration into industrial production systems
• Electrification of industrial processes for carbon neutrality
• AI-powered energy forecasting and optimization in manufacturing
• Carbon pricing policies and regulatory impacts on production systems
• Economic incentives and financial mechanisms for green manufacturing
• Cross-sectoral collaboration for achieving net-zero industry goals
• Policy-driven roadmaps for industrial decarbonization
• Multi-criteria decision-making frameworks for net-zero manufacturing strategies

Special Issue Editors

Yasser Dessouky
San Jose State University, USA
Email: yasser.dessouky@sjsu.edu

Masood Fathi
University of Skövde, Sweden
Email: masood.fathi@his.se

Taha Arbaoui
INSA Lyon, France
Email: taha.arbaoui@insa-lyon.fr

Khaled Hadj-Hamou
INSA Lyon, France
Email: khaled.hadj-hamou@insa-lyon.fr

Ming-Lang Tseng
Asia University, Taiwan
Email: tsengminglang@asia.edu.tw

Special Note

This Special Issue is affiliated with the 52nd International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering (CIE52).

High-quality papers presented at CIE52 will be invited to submit significantly extended versions for consideration in this Special Issue. The call is also open to submissions from the wider research community working in sustainable manufacturing, industrial engineering, operations management, and circular economy.

Submission Guidelines

Authors are invited to submit original research articles, review papers, and case studies that contribute to advancing knowledge in net-zero manufacturing, smart production, and sustainable industrial systems.

All submissions must comply with the International Journal of Production Research author guidelines and undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process.

Important Date

• Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30 September 2026

About the Journal

The International Journal of Production Research (IJPR) is one of the world’s leading peer-reviewed journals in industrial engineering, manufacturing systems, operations management, supply chain management, production planning, and sustainable manufacturing. The journal publishes high-impact research that advances theory and practice in production and operations across global industries.

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