Sustainability In the context of the current economic climate, this might be the moment for remanufacturing, as Rod Bennett, Operations Manager at The Federation of Engine Remanufacturers (FER), said: “With the current cost-ofliving crisis it’s easy to see why companies throughout the aftermarket supply chain are wary about spending. It’s therefore important for these stakeholders to consider remanufactured components, which offer significant cost savings over brand-new OE-sourced products, without compromising the safety, roadworthiness and warranty of the vehicle.” Meanwhile, FER is running training sessions that are being hosted at a number of technical colleges. Rod observed: “FER is progressing its training sessions on hybrid powertrains, to ensure its members stay ahead of the curve and understand ramifications for engine wear and rebuilding; as hybrid powertrains suffer from additional stresses and loads, resulting in more work for engine rebuilders. It’s imperative that the automotive industry focuses more on sustainability, and remanufacturing is a great way of achieving cost savings and preventing large amounts of carbon emissions otherwise created during the original manufacturing process. With our training programme, FER is helping remanufacturers stay agile to advances in automotive technology.” The FER will also be promoting its training programme at Automechanika Birmingham next month. Environmental benefits Commenting on the environmental benefits of remanufacturing, Klaus Vammen Jensen, UK Country Manager at BORG Automotive said: “You might already know that remanufactured parts serve a lot of environmental benefits, but did you know that they also benefit workshops and car owners in other ways? At BORG Automotive, we remanufacture eight product groups and offer you a wide coverage with more than 13,500-part numbers. The list of benefits is long when it comes to remanufactured parts. One of the benefits is the quality. The parts are restored to their original specifications by skilled technicians using specialised equipment. We only remanufacture based on OEM cores and our finished turbos offer full traceability. The turbochargers go through our remanufacturing process which includes dismantling, restoring, and replacing components. Afterward, our professionals thoroughly test the whole product to ensure that our turbochargers are in line with the original design specifications. In the end, we also perform a test that simulates the real operation in the engine. This way we secure identical high quality for all our remanufactured turbos. Our remanufactured parts also come with a twoyear warranty with unlimited mileage giving car owners added peace of mind.” Then there is access: “Another benefit worth mentioning,” observed Klaus, “is the improved supply chain and availability. At BORG Automotive, we have production facilities at several locations within Europe, and a high-capacity space of over one million cores, which combined means that we offer short lead times and high availability also in times of uncertainty. We serve a wide range, meaning that we also keep the older car models up and running. In some cases, remanufactured parts may be the only option for older or hard-to-find vehicles, as new parts may no longer be available.” 46 AFTERMARKET MAY 2023 REMANUFACTURED COMPONENTS www.aftermarketonline.net Circular economy Remanufacturing is a significant contributor to what is known as the circular economy. Klaus explained: “This is where as much material as possible is given new life, and as little as possible goes to waste. Remanufacturing extends the product’s life span by bringing a defective product to the same standard as it was when it was first manufactured. Letting it undergo a process that aims to recover most of the material – without compromising the quality. A study shows that remanufacturing on average saves 96% of the raw materials used in manufacturing the original automotive part. Consequently, the environmental impact is also minimised.” Transition Explaining how DENSO is continuing to develop its remanufacturing programme, the company’s Operations Manager Andre Koppenol said: “One of the primary benefits of remanufacturing existing parts compared with producing a brand-new component, is the reduction in CO2 that it secures. Fortunately, we have three product groups to which we can apply this process; Rotating machines such as starters and alternators, diesel fuel injectors and pumps, and nickel batteries, which are primarily used for hybrid vehicles. “Although at present 80% of the programme is remanufactured for vehicle manufacturer replacement parts supply and 20% for the independent aftermarket, it is the independent sector that presents the greatest potential for growth and why we wish to raise awareness of our activities and the opportunities it provides this supply channel.” Andre added: “The programme is also reflecting the transition from the conventional internal combustion engine to hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) technologies. So, although most of our current capacity is concentrated on rotating machines and diesel injectors, we are actively in the process of expanding the programme to include inverters and converters, transaxle motors, electrical compressors and lithium-ion batteries, alongside the existing nickel battery remanufacturing. This is an avenue we must develop for the independent sector, because within the next decade, many of these HEVs/BEVs will be visiting the independent workshop for service and repair, not the VM dealer network.” For more information, visit: www.denso-am.eu Below: Disassembling a turbo at Melett
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