Remanufacturing 48 November 2026 ǁǁǁ͘ ĂŌ ĞƌŵĂƌŬĞƚŽŶůŝŶĞ͘ ŶĞƚ Remanufacturing finds new opportunities From keeping decades-old cars on the road to repairing battery packs and electric motors in the latest EVs, remanufacturing is playing an increasingly varied role in the automotive aftermarket. Recent announcements have highlighted investment in specialist capabilities, expanding product ranges and advances in remanufacturing technology. Aftermarket looks at what’s been happening and what it could mean for independent garages. With motorists keeping their vehicles for longer and repair costs continuing to rise, remanufactured components offer garages a useful alternative to new parts. It’s a point highlighted in a recent white paper from LKQ Europe, Safeguarding the future of vehicle repair, which looks at the pressures facing workshops, from rising costs and increasingly complex vehicles to sustainability requirements. The report cites industry research suggesting that, depending on the product category, remanufactured and reused original equipment (OE) components can cost 30–60% less than new OE dealer parts. Of course, price isn’t everything. As LKQ points out, garages also need confidence in parts availability, quality standards and warranty support. Keeping older vehicles on the road For Bradford-based Autoelectro, one of the biggest opportunities for remanufacturing lies in supporting the UK’s ageing vehicle parc. According to figures cited by the company, the average age of a UK car reached ten years at the end of 2024, with more than 40% of vehicles over a decade old. And while new car registrations have shown signs of recovery, Harnek Bhogal of Autoelectro doesn’t expect demand for older vehicle parts to disappear any time soon. He said: “Even if new-car demand continues to strengthen, the huge number of older vehicles already on the road is likely to sustain demand for aftermarket parts, like starter motors and alternators, for many years to come.” The challenge is keeping those parts available, particularly for older or less common vehicles where demand may be too limited to justify conventional production. This is where remanufacturing comes into its own. Autoelectro says it can continue supplying components for applications that might otherwise be difficult to source, with recent examples including starter motors and alternators for a 1980 Volkswagen Golf Mk1, a 1990 Austin Metro and a 1986 Porsche 944. More choice for garages It’s not just older vehicles that are benefiting. Suppliers are also expanding their remanufactured ranges to cover more modern applications. Valeo Service UK, for example, recently added 105 references to its Re-Gen remanufacturing programme, extending coverage to another 22 million vehicles. The additions include air conditioning compressors, starters and alternators. While the company has also expanded its remanufactured integrated belt startergenerator (iBSG) offering for 48V mildhybrid systems. There has been activity in steering systems, too. Alliance Automotive Group has introduced 303 DRI remanufactured steering rack references, manufactured by BORG Automotive, covering 84% of the UK car parc. Meanwhile, GSF Car Parts reported a 23% year-on-year increase in steering rack sales in August, with Elstock products continuing to account for the largest share of its remanufactured sales. But it’s not only mechanical components attracting attention. As vehicle electronics become more complex, specialist repair and remanufacturing services are also becoming increasingly important. LKQ Europe’s recent acquisition of ACtronics is a good example. With a UK operation in Colchester, ACtronics
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