Remanufactured components 31 www.aftermarketonline.net NOVEMBER 2024 Closing the circle of sustainability Ivor Searle commercial director David Eszenyi highlights the eco-friendly advantages of remanufactured products Originally developed to conserve resources and create employment at the end of World War II, remanufacturing has evolved significantly in the UK. Today, remanufacturing is central to the ‘circular economy’, where products are designed to be robust and straightforward to disassemble. This allows them to be remanufactured multiple times, offering both environmental and economic benefits. Remanufacturing is employed across industries such as automotive, aerospace and consumer electronics and all share the ability to produce a second-life product that is equal to the performance of the original. Covering a range of product areas including rotating electrics, fuel injection and electronics — as well as major units such as engines, gearboxes and turbos — remanufacturing plays a significant role in the automotive aftermarket supply chain for replacement components. Code of practice Supported by well-established exchange programmes, remanufacturing also helps to ensure parts are available for some time after production of a vehicle has ended. Adherence to quality and industry standards are essential factors too. A remanufactured engine is required to meet a specific standard for it to be described as such under BSI AU 257:2002. This is a British standard automobile series code of practice that applies to the remanufacturing of internal combustion engines. It covers the detailed inspection and checking of components against manufacturer tolerances. In addition, key parts, including pistons and ring sets, big and small end bearings and bushes, as well as gaskets, seals, timing chains and drive belts, are all required to be renewed, while items, such as tensioners and dampers, must be inspected and replaced if necessary. Recycling As well as saving natural resources, remanufactured products offer a much more sustainable solution, as considerably less energy and materials are used in the process. Engines remanufactured by Ivor Searle conserve about 55kg in core metal and around 85% of the engine’s original components are returned to OEM specification. All waste metals from the process are collected for recycling. Based on our own experience as a wellestablished supplier to the automotive aftermarket in the UK and overseas, it is clear that awareness of sustainability is gradually increasing, along with an understanding of the environmental advantages of remanufactured components and major units. Although cost, product availability and quality continue to be the main considerations for garages buying remanufactured products, it is clear that end-users, such as fleet customers and private motorists, will increasingly demand a more sustainable approach to vehicle repairs, maintenance and the parts that are used.
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