The resurgence of industrial policy in Europe has renewed interest in reindustrialization as a strategic response to growing economic, technological, and geopolitical challenges. The increasing pressure associated with digital transformation, sustainability goals, supply chain disruptions, and global competition has highlighted the need to strengthen industrial resilience and competitiveness. Within this context, the Portuguese metalworking and electromechanical industries play a critical role in the national economy due to their contribution to manufacturing output, exports, employment, and technological development. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the factors that may shape the future positioning of these industries within global value chains. This study addresses the following research question: Can emerging technological and scientific developments, together with new globalization trends, foster reindustrialization through the smart repositioning of Portuguese metalworking and electromechanical industries within global value chains? The main objective is to identify and assess the critical drivers that may influence the future development of these industries and to explore alternative pathways for their evolution towards 2035. The study seeks to generate strategic insights capable of supporting both industrial policy design and business decision-making in a rapidly changing environment. Methodologically, the research adopts a foresight approach based on the Real-Time Delphi method. A multidisciplinary panel of national and European experts from industry, academia, technology centres, business associations, and public institutions will be invited to participate. Through an interactive digital platform, experts will evaluate emerging technologies, industrial trends, structural challenges, and strategic priorities. The Real-Time Delphi process enables the collection of expert judgments, immediate feedback, iterative reflection, and the gradual convergence of informed opinions regarding future developments. The study will involve a panel of approximately 20–30 experts from academia, industry, consultants, and public institutions. The study will identify key transformation drivers, the development of plausible future scenarios for 2035, and the formulation of strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening the productive, technological, and innovative capacity of Portuguese metalworking and electromechanical industries. By combining industrial foresight with expert knowledge, this research contributes to the literature on industrial foresight and smart reindustrialization by integrating expert consensus into the development of future industrial scenarios for a strategic manufacturing sector. It also provides practical guidance for policymakers, industry leaders, and other stakeholders seeking to enhance industrial competitiveness and long-term sustainability. References Amaral, L. M. (2021). Roteiro para a reindustrialização. SEDES. ANEME. (2022). A indústria metalúrgica e eletromecânica em Portugal. Nota interna. Araújo, N. C. (2015). A reindustrialização de Portugal num contexto de crise e hegemonia industrial dos países emergentes. IET Working Papers Series, WPS03/2015. Caldeira, J., & Rkibi, T. (2022). Research guidelines for real-time Delphi studies in management: A systematic literature review. In Theory and Applications in the Knowledge Economy 2022. Capello, R., & Cerisola, S. (2023). Regional reindustrialization patterns and productivity growth in Europe. Regional Studies, 57(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2022.2050894 Confederação Empresarial de Portugal. (2017). O conceito de reindustrialização, Indústria 4.0 e política industrial para o século XXI: O caso português. Documento de reflexão. Draghi, M. (2024). The future of European competitiveness. European Commission. European Commission. (2019). A vision for the European industry until 2030: Final report of the Industry 2030 High-Level Industrial Roundtable. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2873/34695 Foray, D. (2015). Smart specialisation: Opportunities and challenges for regional innovation policy. Routledge. Linstone, H. A., Turoff, M., & Helmer, O. (2002). The Delphi method: Techniques and applications. (E. Harold A. Linstone and Murray Turoff (ed.)).

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Smart Reindustrialization,Industrial Foresight,Real-Time Delphi,Metal and Electromechanical Industries