The research project addresses the importance of Industry 4.0 for Macedonian manufacturing SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises), by making Macedonian SMEs' inevitable digital transformation process faster and easier. The outcome of the research will be a developed roadmap for better assessment of the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) readiness of Macedonian manufacturing SMEs, based on the product portfolio, size, type of production and other criteria that will emerge during the project. The main Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be evaluated in several Macedonian SMEs, especially those related to production and maintenance processes. The SMEs included in the research project will be familiarized with the I4.0 concept and numerous Lean tools, will receive appropriate assessment/performance data according to numerous methodologies and will ultimately be better prepared for future digital transformation.