While remanufactured parts have been around in the UK aftermarket for some time, their importance in terms of sustainability has grown in recent years.
From brakes, to electronics, and even whole engines, the remanufacturing sector offers many items for customers. These can provide them with cost benefits, while also adding to their green credentials.
But how important is remanufacturing and, when it comes to sustainability, what is the aftermarket doing to ensure a more environmentally friendly future?
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Remanufacturing is not recycling
It is important to note that remanufacturing and recycling are two different things. While both offer sustainability in terms of utilising older parts in place of newly created items, only one provides benefits for drivers.
“Remanufacturing restores the whole product to a like-new or better-than-new condition by reconditioning or replacing all parts of the product, whilst recycling or repairing simply repairs the section of the product which is faulty,” commented Richard Holland, from ZF Aftermarket.
This process, therefore, provides a product that is both sustainable and high quality, giving customers two reasons to consider remanufactured components.
“We live in a world where resources are finite,” added Noah Robinson, Marketing Manager at ACTronics. “The cost of living is going up and therefore the cost of repairing cars is going up. And the quality of aftermarket components can vary. Remanufacturing, certainly at our level, is providing a customer with a like-new replacement that is as good as new for significantly less than replacement.
“So, from a purely cost-saving exercise, it is brilliant. You get just as good a product; you get a longer warranty in most cases than a main-dealer replacement. and you know it is going to fit the car because it came off your car so there is a guarantee there. The separate guarantee is that You’re doing less harm to the environment, you are being more conscious with your actions.”
The mechanical element
While modern cars feature more electronic components than ever, the mechanical parts are subject to the most wear and tear. For some of these items, remanufactured products are just as good as replacing old with new, and sometimes better.
The brake caliper, for example, sees a lot of work go into the process before it can be released to a customer, as Holland explained:
“The original caliper is fully disassembled into its individual components; each is then inspected and measured to identify if it can be reused or scrapped. Useful items are then cleaned and re -conditioned. Those items that are known to wear are replaced it new, in a detailed assembly process.
“The caliper itself is cleaned, and goes through corrosion resistance, before they are all tested to ensure they live up to specification and quality requirements.”
This process is very intensive, but ensures quality and longevity of the component. It is not just a case of repairing and recycling, but fully inspecting, replacing where needed, and putting a like-new product back on the shelf, ready to go straight to the workshop.
The level of detail that the remanufacturing process provides highlights that customers can be assured of the quality, which in most cases is also backed up by guarantees.
Electronic fields
With more ECUs in vehicles today than ever before, and other electronic systems, especially in mild, full and plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles, remanufacturing of these components will be a vital and growing step in the aftermarket.
“Remanufacturing these components, such as ECUs, is deeply technical,” added Robinson. “These units are often mechanically sealed together. They do not want to come apart, they are not designed to necessarily come apart in most cases. So we have had to develop ways to open those casings safely without damaging the internal components, and identify the fault. Therefore, experience is key.”
This experience is also necessary to ensure preventative measures can be enacted, improving upon the original item to ensure it will not fail where others have.
“We may get a unit in where we know a certain resistor commonly fails,” Robinson commented.” If this is the case, we will replace that resistor, even if it is not the fault that has been reported. That means we are providing the customer with a unit that is better than new.”
Expensive engines
Replacing brakes, ECUs, rotating electrics or other components is one thing, but remanufacturing an entire engine is a different job.
Just as with the brake component, a lot of work goes into the engine remanufacturing process. Yet it reduces landfill of these components, which are often salvaged from vehicles before they end up in the scrapyard. In addition, it helps keep vehicles on the road for longer, and reduced the cost to the customer against a new engine.
Remanufactured units offer a sustainable solution compared to purchasing a brand-new OEM product, as considerably less energy and materials are used in the remanufacturing process,” commented David Eszenyi, Commercial Director at Ivor Searle. Remanufacturing conserves approximately 55kg in core metal, and around 85% of the engine’s original components are returned to OEM specification.
“Price and product availability are key advantages for workshops buying remanufactured products, with major units such as Ivor Searle engines costing around 40% less than brand new.”
Demand for remanufacturing?
But do customers want remanufactured items on their cars? In today’s society, price is key, and for some, this means that cheaper, imported products, could win over drivers, even if they are of lesser quality, and faster wearing.
“At the moment the market is very cost driven and that is why a lot of these cheaper ‘copy’ parts are entering and unfortunately taking over the market, that is what people seem to want,” commented Holland.
“This does mean we are seeing a slight dip in demand for remanufactured product this is due to a big influx of these cheaply made new products, which are not environmentally friendly so we are hoping that the message of OE quality sustainability and reduction of CO2 emissions is going to get through to the customers and that they are going to see that that remanufactured is the best choice.”
But it seems the more expensive the component, and the bigger it is, there is less likelihood of a cheaper part being available. This, in turn, helps the remanufacturing market.
“Demand for our remanufactured products continues to increase due to factors such as rising costs of vehicle ownership and infrastructure challenges around the transition to EVs,” stated Eszenyi. “This has led to consumers and businesses running their cars and vans for longer, increasing the chances of component failure as they continue to age.
Sustainability factor
While remanufacturing offers a cost benefit for drivers, the sustainability credentials cannot be overlooked. Turning an old part into something new and improved not only ensures that items do not enter landfill, but the associated manufacturing energy output for new components is reduced.
But there are many parts that cannot be remanufactured. Yet for the aftermarket to go green, the company’s behind them have to look into sustainability and see what they can do to aid the environmental transition.
I think all of us now are more aware of the harm we can do to nature, the planet,” highlighted Gary Winslow, Product and Marketing Manager at MANN+HUMMEL UK. “There is a much higher social conscience around that kind of thing now, in all people, all age groups, especially the younger generation. Subsequently, end users are thinking about the impact they are having on the environment, and what the parts they use mean towards that.
“I think we have seen it in the home, and now I think it is passing into vehicles and cars, and I think it’s just got such a topic, it’s really on people’s consciousness now.”
But does sustainability come with a higher cost, or should companies be ensure their products use greener materials and packaging whatever the option?
“The product really has to be sustainable,” added Winslow. “You can get things that are perhaps marketed to impress, and really the substance behind it perhaps is not always bang on. So it has got to be genuinely sustainable. I think you can label anything green, greener, eco, etc., but you have got to adhere to the legislation. You have got to make sure that it is absolutely right, otherwise the credibility goes.”
The sustainability of oil
When it comes to sustainability, oil is not top of most people’s thoughts. But the industry is striving to improve, with new manufacturing methods, additive packs and more, designed to make lubricants greener.
“One option is Re-refined base oil, which is basically used oil that has passed through various chemical processes,” commented Has Tahier, Technical Manager at Motul UK. “It must pass through the same refinery process and distillation process as traditional crude oil, and it is basically taking used oil and bringing it back to life again.
“The oil must still pass through the same certification process as crude oil. These products still must undergo the testing requirements for the technical specifications associated with either the passenger car market or the motorcycle market.”
So re-manufacturing and sustainability really do go hand in hand. There are benefits to customers, lower cost, better products and greener environmental credentials. The aftermarket of the future can start being green today.
