THE MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES HAVE, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, FOCUSSED THEIR EFFORTS ON CIM AS GUIDING PHILOSOPHY AND REMARKABLE RESULTS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED. BUT IN THE SAME TIME, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN A NEW SET OF REQUIREMENTS TO MANUFACTURING. THIS IS A GROWING AWARENESS OF ISSUES LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION, WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY PLAY A MUCH LARGER ROLE IN THE CUSTOMERS EVALUATION OF A SPECIFIC PRODUCTION IN THE FUTURE. IN THIS PAPER, A HOLISTIC CONCEPT IS PRESENTED AS LIFE-CYCLE DESIGN OF PRODUCTS. LIFE-CYCLE DESIGN MEANS THAT THE PRODUCT IS DESIGNED FOR PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, USAGE AND DISPOSAL/ RECYCLING SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM CONCEPT TO FINISHED PRODUCT. THIS INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL DESIGN CRITERIA LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION. FURTHER, THE LIFE-CYCLE CONCEPT WIL