ReMaTecNews | FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019 by RAI Amsterdam

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February / March 2019

REMANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL NETWORK | KNOWLEDGE | BUSINESS

BREXIT & REMAN Confused? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not alone Also Salvador Munoz Zarate: in memorium Deutsche Turbo gets clean away Robotics does the dirty work Cummins in Scotland

EDITORIAL

‘It is easy to get caught up in work – but some things remind us that there are always more important matters at hand’

irst up, Brexit: whether you think it’s a crazy act of national self-harm or a justified bid to reclaim sovereignty, there is still confusion about when – and how – it will happen. We’ve talked to a lot of reman people about this (p14). We’ve been politely told to mind our own business by a lot of reman people, too. Many wouldn’t speak on the record about their thoughts – possibly because they think that, if politicians don’t know what they want, then the rest of us don’t have much chance. However, quite a few people have laid out some of the issues – and perhaps opportunities – that the industry in

the UK and the rest of Europe will face when the UK leaves the European Union. This brings us on to the sad news that Wabco’s Salvador Munoz Zarate has died. In a busy, uncertain world, it is often easy to forget what the most important things in life are. An unexpected event like this gives us pause to think a little harder about where we are going, and why. The comments (p10) from people who knew Salvador and worked with him are heartfelt and give a picture of a man to whom work was a very serious business – but not everything. Remanufacturing has lost a champion. Loyalty and teamwork were important to him; we at ReMaTec found this out when we engraved his name – but not his company name – on his Remanufacturer of the Year trophy just two years ago. He was polite but firm: it needed to be changed because the award was his team’s, too. Salvador was a friend of ReMaTec and of reman in general, happy to talk about the industry to whoever wanted to listen. Hearts may be heavy at the loss but we can all learn from his humour, his drive to get things done and his determination to see other people’s point of view. If success in life is measured by the warmth of the memories you leave behind, then Salvador was rich indeed. He was passionate about his work, admired by many, generous with his time and devoted to his family. Most of us would surely be happy with an epitaph like that. Adam Hill, Editor ahill@ropl.com

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Published by RAI Amsterdam B.V. P.O. Box 77777, 1070 MS Amsterdam The Netherlands In association with Route2Market Editor Adam Hill: ahill@ropl.com Phone: +44 (0)7931 502947 US correspondent Denise Rondini: drondini@gmail.com Asia-Pacific correspondent Tim Maughan: tim@britishjournalistinjapan.com Route One Publishing Managing Director Andrew Barriball: abarriball@ropl.com ReMaTecNews: advertising manager Sara Clark Phone: +44 (0)1732 445302 sara.clark@talkmediasales.co.uk Contributors in this issue John Chalifoux, Ian Hall, Niels Klarenbeek, Daniel Koehler, Volker Schittenhelm, Doris Schultz, Andrew Williams Marketing Communications & PR Evelien Feijen: e.feijen@rai.nl Phone: +31 (0)20 54915 81 ReMaTec & ReMaTec Asia: sales manager Yorien de Ruijter Phone: +31 (0)20 5493075 Fax: +31 (0)20 5491889 advertising@ReMaTecnews.com Publisher Evelien Feijen: (responsible under Dutch Press Law) e.feijen@rai.nl Design, Production & Printing Route One Publishing Ltd Copyright RAI Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Reproduction No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, RAI Amsterdam B.V. Subscription magazine & eNewsletter www.rematec.com Change of address info@ReMaTecNews.com ReMaTecNews online www.rematec.com/news Circulation Approx. 12,000 readers per edition. The magazine is delivered on a controlled circulation basis to recipients in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Asia.

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CONTENTS

A century of progress As Cummins celebrates its 100th birthday, we find out more about the US engine maker’s Scottish reman operation

Salvador Munoz Zarate ‘The world of remanufacturing has lost a terrific champion and a true believer’

COVER STORY Brexit: le big mess The clock is ticking down to 29 March - and however they voted, UK remanufacturers just want certainty

A vision of the future

News

Viewpoint

Make some noise

Robotics technology has the power to streamline reman and there’s a lot of change to come

The first-ever European Engine Reman Championship is open for entries; core dealers are called to action; and the second global Reman Day is fast approaching

Making waves

APRA wants YOU!

Diary

‘FDA should stop calling medical devices “remanufactured” when they are not,’ insists MERA

Green issues are firmly on the global agenda and reman is part of the answer - but we need to shout about the benefits

31 Email your comments and stories to editorial@rematecnews.com

Deutsche Turbo needed a cleaning solution for its turbocharger business and ultrasonic technology had the right answer

Ambassadors are required to move the association forward - and you have all the skills required: don’t leave it to someone else

Movers? Shakers? Big cheeses? Head honchos? Find out where they are all going to be in the world of reman

Explain your USP All engine remanufacturers are different - so find what makes you stand out and tell your customers, says FIRM

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NEWS

SECOND REMAN DAY AIMS TO SAVE THE EARTH

The reman robots are coming The Symposium on Automated and Robotised Remanufacturing, supported by ReMaTecNews, takes place in Trier, Germany, on March 20-21. “It may be a daring vision to envisage robots inside automatic remanufacturing,” says co-organiser Fernand Weiland, the founder of APRA Europe. “At the forthcoming symposium - beside interesting lectures about innovative reman projects

and automation – we will propose a number of robot demonstrations to allow participants to get a practical view about how it can work.” The focus of these demonstrations will be to show human-robot collaboration in a reman environment, with robots from manufacturers Fanuc, ABB and Kuka. The practical sessions will cover: specific and

changeable end effectors like grippers with force control and electric screw drivers, which demonstrate the flexibility of robots. The planning of human-robot collaboration by agent software and interaction methods such as voice control will also be part of the demonstrations. Go to www.umwelt-campus. de/Symposium for more details and to book a place. •Picturing the future, p18

Sign up to help simplify reverse logistics for automotive cores Reverse logistics is one of the most fundamental headaches for remanufacturers, but a new initiative aims to simplify the process. Core brokers are being urged to join a workshop, which will be run by Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) at ReMaTec 2019 in Amsterdam. “During the workshop, we would like to gain an essential understanding what core brokers’ considerations and requirements are, and how we can develop a platform that fits with, but also enhances, their way of working,” explains organiser Sonja van Dam (pictured) from TU Delft. “Additionally, we would like to

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discuss potential ideas and avenues to further develop the platform.” It is part of a European Union Horizon 2020 project

called Resource-Efficient Circular Product Service Systems (ReCiPSS). TU Delft is part of the ReCiPSS consortium, together with 12 other partners including Circular Economy Solutions (C-ECO), which is to develop the new reverse logistics platform with the support of its service brand CoremanNet. Automotive parts and an interconnected IT platform are the key elements of the project. The 90-minute workshop will be held at ReMaTec 2019 on Sunday 23 June from 14.30. • For further information or to sign up, contact Sonja van Dam at s.s.vandam@tudelft.nl

The second annual global Reman Day will be on 11 April. Organised by the Remanufacturing Industries Council (RIC), it is designed as a vehicle to get remanufacturers worldwide to hold local events showcasing to their communities the economic and environmental benefits of reman. “We know that more companies are planning events this year as well as collaborating with one another,” says RIC marketing and membership director Jenn Brake. “We have updated the RemanDay.org website with a more convenient registration process and included more planning resources.” In 2018, there were 127 registered events across six continents. RIC also has a number of branded products such as t-shirts and coffee mugs available in its online store. Earth Day, a more established event which focuses on environmental activism and is supported by MERA, takes place on 22 April. Separately, RIC has elected Sharla Holladay, co-owner of Best Beverage to its board of directors. Holladay represents the restaurant equipment reman industry and has worked on reman standards in the food service sector since 1999. RIC says it is adding ‘breadth and depth from industry’. •It’s time to shout about reman, p13

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NEWS

Reman mourns Salvador Munoz Zarate The remanufacturing community was shocked by the death of Salvador Munoz Zarate, Wabco stalwart and former Remanufacturer of the Year (RotY). He passed away at the age of 46 on 1 February after being diagnosed with cancer. He leaves a wife and three children. Tributes to his dedication and impact on the industry have come in from all over the world. Salvador held various leadership positions at Wabco, and in a statement

the company said: “It is with great sadness that we inform you that our colleague and

friend Salvador has passed away….On behalf of all of us here at Wabco, we have taken the liberty of sending out to his family our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy.” His funeral took place on 9 February in Etterbeek, Belgium. General manager at Wabco Reman Solutions, he was awarded the ReMaTec RotY trophy in 2017 for his work in lobbying policymakers worldwide on behalf of the reman industry. • ‘The world of reman lost a terrific champion’, p10

SRC breaks $100 million sales barrier Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation (SRC Heavy Duty) is celebrating achieving more than $100 million in sales last year. Since 2015, the US company, part of SRC Holdings Corporation, says it has seen an average of 44% growth each year. Missouri-based SRC Heavy Duty’s

remanufactured products include diesel engines, engine components, turbochargers, generator sets and whole goods. Operations are split across three sites, and the company aims to remanufacture four whole goods, 40 engines and 400 turbos each day to meet its revenue targets.

Expert in engine reman? Now’s your chance to prove it! A new competition has been launched to find the best engine reman company in the business. The first-ever European Engine Remanufacturing Championship will be held at ReMaTec 2019 in Amsterdam, pitting various two-person engine reman teams against one another to see who comes out on top. It will consist of two main elements: the first is to exchange the cylinder head gasket from a four-cylinder

engine as fast as possible; the second to correctly diagnose a series of damaged engine components. “Part one is the more practical bit, exchanging a cylinder head gasket with and timing it with a stopwatch,” explains FIRM’s Volker Schittenhelm. “Part two will focus on the skills of engine remanufacturers and their unique selling proposition.” The team with the fastest exchange time in part one and the most points out of part

two - will be awarded the title of European Engine Reman Champion 2019. The three-hour challenge will take place on 24 June at RAI Amsterdam during ReMaTec - and FIRM is encouraging all national engine remanufacturers in its member associations to take part. • If you would like to participate in the challenge, contact secretariat@firm-org.eu or communication@firm-org.eu •Make the most of your USP! p31

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OVERBEEKE LEADS MERA AGAIN David Overbeeke, president and CEO of Brake Parts, has been re-elected as chairman of MERA - The Association for Sustainable Manufacturing, for a second term. His predecessor Peter Butterfield, CEO of Omega Environmental Technologies, was also re-elected to the executive committee. Overbeeke oversaw the rebranding of MERA as a ‘sustainable manufacturing’ body last year. “With Dave’s leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, we will continue to make great strides on behalf of our members,” said MERA chief operating officer, John Chalifoux. Russ Schinzing, president, Advanced Aftermarket Solutions, and a veteran of electronics and mechatronics reman, has been elected vice chairman. Robert Enright, general manager, new and recon parts, Cummins; Brian Lewallen, president, Detroit Reman; Jay Robie, CEO, Phoenix Automotive Cores; and Allen Wilkie, general manager, LKQ Best Automotive, are also on the board.

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NEWS

Reviva launches reman gas engine US companies Reviva and Hoglund Bus Company have launched a remanufactured drop-in gas engine programme. Reviva will make the product while Hoglund will distribute it to fleet and bus customers. Reviva will carry out the reman at its facility in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and says that UPS has already saved 36,000 hours per year in downtime through using its dropin ready engines. Duane Wanner, general manager, Reviva Gas Engine Division, said: “We are being very selective as we add a small number of distributors in the US.” Jim Gruber, Hoglund general manager, says it would be offering customers increased uptime, reduced

ICOR DRIVING INDUSTRY CHALLENGE

downtime and optimised engine maintenance. “Reviva’s dynotested drop-in remanufactured gas engines are unique in the market,” he claimed.

Reviva is a 70-year old, familyowned company which says it is the largest independentlyowned diesel engine remanufacturer in North America.

MEMA looks to Long for leadership The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) has appointed William Long as CEO. He replaces Steve Handschuh, who retired in December. Long was previously president of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association, MEMA’s light vehicle aftermarket division. “Bill brings to bear decades of level-headed experience participating in all market sectors in this industry, and we are fortunate to have his guidance as we address unprecedented levels of change,” said Dan Sceli, MEMA board chairman and CEO of Peterson American Corp. MEMA – which includes reman body MERA - says it “has earned

Bill Long a seat at the table in the Trump administration” and the organisation has been vocal on the need for a sensible renegotiation of the North American Free Trade

Agreement (NAFTA). It calls the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaces NAFTA, a “positive step forward for all three countries”. But it warns of the need for a “strong, functioning North American supply chain” to protect jobs and encourage investment. “In order for USMCA to achieve success, the parties must conclude negotiations to exempt Mexican and Canadian imports from Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium,” MEMA says. Tariffs are costing the automotive industry hundreds of millions of dollars, it warns. In other news, Bob Miller, president of MEMA from 19912000, has died. He was 84 years old.

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The International Conference on Remanufacturing (ICoR) will be held at ReMaTec 2019 in Amsterdam. Organised by researchers from the University of Strathclyde and Linköping University, it will run from 23-25 June. Linköping’s Erik Sundin says: “This conference is an excellent opportunity to learn from research and industrial practices on the topic of remanufacturing.” Strathclyde’s James Windmill (pictured) adds: “We will also present the winner of the new Reman Challenge student academic competition, sponsored by Borg Automotive. For the first time, we have representation from West Africa, thus continuing our drive to expand the reach of remanufacturing and the discussion of the subject among academics and industrialists from all global settings.” If you are registered for the Reman Challenge, then you have until 5 April to submit your abstract. The conference programme and keynote speakers will be continuously updated at www.remanufacturingconference.com

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SALVADOR MUNOZ ZARATE: COMMEMORATION

‘The world of remanufacturing lost a terrific champion and a true believer’ Salvador Munoz Zarate, Wabco Reman Solutions boss and former Remanufacturer of the Year, died in February at the age of 46. Adam Hill reports on the reman industry’s tributes to a valued colleague

he news was unexpected. When Salvador Munoz Zarate’s death on 1 February was announced, it was a shock for most of the industry - not least, of course, because he was so young. He held a variety of senior positions at Wabco, and led the company’s remanufacturing business. Less than two years ago, Salvador was awarded the Remanufacturer of the Year (RotY) 2017 trophy for his work in lobbying policymakers worldwide on behalf of the reman industry. “We are deeply saddened by Salvador’s passing,” says Philippe Colpron, fleet solutions global business leader, Wabco. “He will be greatly missed. For the past 15 years with Wabco, Salvador has been a driving force behind many key initiatives, including his leadership of our reman business. His passion, relentless drive and admirable ability to build deep and lasting relationship with colleagues and customers worldwide truly set him apart. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

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Peter Bartel of C-ECO, who was jointly awarded the RotY 2017 title, remembers Salvador as a man who listened to everyone and was able to bring people together. “I met Salvador at an APRA meeting, shortly after he took over responsibility for Wabco Reman,” Bartel recalls. “He addressed me directly with the question: ‘Please tell me how I can support the remanufacturing industry?’” The personal relationships Salvador cultivated “gave him the possibility to build bridges between diverse interests and cultures and to bring all relevant parties to sit at the same table”. He cut through to the heart of a topic but respected people’s viewpoints. “He was the ‘maker’ behind the commonlyaccepted definition of remanufacturing in the automotive industry,” Bartel says. Volker Schittenhelm at FIRM also recalls someone who tried to reach agreement in working groups and initiatives with VDA and CLEPA: “I met a friendly, positive and open person, that respected other people as well as their – even different – thoughts

and statements…The reman family has lost a member.” That sentiment is echoed by Nabil Nasr, director, Golisano Institute for Sustainability. “The world of remanufacturing truly lost a terrific champion and a true believer,” he said. “Salvador was passionate about reman and was always willing to lend a hand when there was a need for help. He will be truly missed and his work on behalf of the industry will always be remembered.” MERA president John Chalifoux celebrates his “leadership and passion” while APRA Europe founder Fernand Weiland admired the determination with which he promoted reman to politicians. There are some other common themes to the messages following his death. Salvador leaves a wife and three children, and many people offered their condolences to them, along with gratitude for their hospitality to business travellers who were sometimes thousands of miles away from their own homes. There was also a great deal about Salvador’s

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SALVADOR MUNOZ ZARATE: COMMEMORATION

professionalism and impact on the remanufacturing industry. But it was his personal qualities which attracted perhaps the most striking comments. ‘Positive’ is a word that crops up again and again to describe him. Ekkehard Petzold, who worked with him at Wabco, said: “Salvador was a great source of inspiration, passion and energy - I admire his positive and creative thinking in difficult times up to his last moments. I lost a true friend and I miss him.” APRA board member Joe Kripli remembers a staunch ally both at work and during downtime. “Salvador and I travelled all around the world for Wabco for four years,” Kripli says. “He vacationed at my house in Michigan with his family and I had dinner with his family in Hanover, Germany. I remember being in Beijing on a Saturday at the Forbidden City. It was freezing, but Salvador was not one to just sit inside on a Saturday so we went there and froze our butts off. There were only, like, 20 other people there. We had some great experiences: I enjoyed going to customers with him to make presentations because he could speak four languages - no one could sneak anything past us!” There was an outpouring of comment on LinkedIn (see below) when his death was announced from many people, including Wabco colleagues. Pawel Zarek “admired his passion for making

Happy times: the RotY 2017 Award presentation for Peter Bartel (left) and Salvador this world a better place hand in hand with doing the business”, while Edyta Erbel remembers a man who was “very positive, passionate about life and work, always ready to give support”. J. McLeod, vice president, communications at Wabco Vehicle Control Systems, urged well-wishers to “try to respect his memory through giving back the friendship, fun and values he shared with us”. Teamwork certainly meant a great deal to him. As the confetti had rained down at the RotY Awards in Amsterdam, Salvador was surprised and pleased. But

he soon spotted a problem: the trophy was only engraved with his name – not that of his company, Wabco. “The jury had decided to personally honour both him and Peter Bartel for their hard work in terms of lobbying for remanufacturing at the United Nations, European Union and other important institutions,” explains ReMaTec show organiser Niels Klarenbeek, director, reman & refurbishment at RAI Amsterdam. “I thought this was very well deserved. But Salvador rather wished that it had the Wabco name on it. He argued that his employer enabled and allowed him to spend his time on lobbying efforts while his team at Wabco Reman Solutions looked after his business while he was away. It had been a joint effort and Salvador wished to honour all his colleagues who supported him. He was a modest, loyal and committed professional making his efforts for the greater good, the remanufacturing industry.” For all Salvador’s professional success, Joe Kripli puts his finger on the core of what made him tick: “He really loved his family and talked about them all the time.” Wabco’s J. McLeod concludes: “Salvi was all about family, was incredibly smart, lived with deep loyalty and he always demonstrated the most incredible dedication and personal humility. Hearts are heavy.”

Memories of Salvador Michel Forissier, chief technology officer, Valeo Powertrain Systems. “I’m choked and voiceless with this terrible news. He was a great guy, nice to work with, always smiling, very professional.” Christopher Esch, controls engineering supervisor at Jervis B. Webb Company. “Have many great memories of working with Salvador. He always pushed people to move beyond their expectations.” Hamish Madan, managing director at Center for Creative Leadership. “He was always full of energy, hard-working and dedicated to achieve the best out of himself and those who worked with him. May he rest in peace.”

Stéphane Fauth, president of Norcan. “He was always positive, smiling, passionate, strong.” Nikhil Varty, CEO at ServiceMaster. “RIP Salvador... always gave everything he had and truly reflected passion in every effort.” Radoslaw Plonski, product development manager at Rockwell Automation. “It was a great experience working with Salvador, he taught me a lot. I hope there is a great music where you are now.” Sylvain Barthelemy, global leader, AKKA Technologies. “Such a nice person to be with, always up for it, always positive. He will reman Heaven, I am sure.”

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Adam Hrybacz, project manager at GlobalLogic. “He was my last boss, and leader from which I learned the most in my career.” Stephan Koller, director of communications, North America at Valeo. “Salvador was one of the most passionate, helpful, and approachable leaders I’ve ever met.” Mark Cuyx, director, project management at Wabco. “We lost a great colleague. Learned so much from him. He was our captain when we gathered our walking team, the Happy Feet. Captain, my captain, we will miss you.”

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NOTES & COMMENT

ReMaTecNews

VIEWPOINT

‘FDA should stop calling medical devices “remanufactured” when they are not’

John Chalifoux

e urge the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stop using the term “remanufacturing” to identify a process that “significantly changes the finished device’s performance or safety specifications, or intended use”. While we recognise the regulatory need for the FDA to identify a process that could negatively modify an existing device, calling it “remanufacturing” contradicts the commonly accepted definition published by the US International Trade Commission (USITC). According to the USITC, remanufacturing is “an industrial process that restores end-of-life goods to original working condition or better”. Remanufacturing – a key driver of a circular economy – represents an important and growing segment of US manufacturing. The USITC definition of remanufacturing is widely recognised across key industry sectors. It appears in federal legislation and is used by other government agencies, including the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Different industry sectors use different terms to identify the remanufacturing process – and that is completely acceptable

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– as long as that sector’s term refers to “an industrial process that restores end-of-life goods to original working condition or better”. For instance, in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors, the term is remanufacturing itself; in aviation and aerospace, the reference is maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO); and for consumer goods and electronics, the term is refurbishing. According to the USITC, “Finally, most US remanufacturers of medical imaging equipment identify themselves as refurbishers rather than remanufacturers because of the specific regulatory definition of ‘remanufacturer’ provided by the US Food and Drug Administration.” As noted, the remanufacturing process is significantly different than how it is represented by the FDA; therefore, another term is needed by the FDA to properly identify a device that has been altered and no longer complies with its reported, intended use. Calling this “remanufacturing” is inaccurate, misleading to consumers and a risk to patient safety. In essence, we are simply asking the FDA to call it something else. MEMA and MERA urge the FDA to recognise today’s commercial reality and

no longer use the term “remanufacturing” when referring to a modification process that “significantly changes the finished device’s performance or safety specifications, or intended use”. By doing so, the FDA will align with other government agencies and industry sectors; curtail confusion among consumers; lower the risk to patient safety; and advance the US economy and international trade. These are edited extracts from MEMA-MERA’s comments to the FDA 2018 White Paper and Public Workshop: “Evaluating Whether Activities are Servicing or Remanufacturing”

John Chalifoux, MERA - The Association for Sustainable Manufacturing

ReVisits... Sometimes, the most humblelooking historical documents can be a treasure trove. Take this photocopied sheet, for example. Not much to look at – but significant nonetheless: it is the programme for APRA Europe’s first-ever International Remanufacturing Symposium.

One thing immediately strikes you: Frankfurt in 1990 is in a mysterious old country called ‘West Germany’. It was also quite an ambitious agenda. For a start, it took place over four days, which shows a certain confidence in the material – and in the ability of attendees to take that much time away from their workplaces. Also, rather than just sitting in a conference hall, there were site visits to several remanufacturers, including Audi. This meant a lot of travelling: from Frankfurt, via Nuremburg and onto Munich, with stops in between. There are tourists on holiday who cover less ground. Younger readers might be oblivious, but there is more than nostalgia at work here. Less than seven months after APRA Europe’s conference, peaceful crowds began to dismantle the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany quickly followed. ‘East’ and ‘West’ Germany ceased to be separate entities. It’s not just the reman world that has moved on.

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NOTES & COMMENT www.ReMaTec Tec.com December 2018 / Januar

It’s time to shout about reman

REMANUFACTURING

Reman saves money and scarce natural resources. ReMaTec’s Niels Klarenbeek says that events such as Reman Day are the perfect opportunity to tell the world about what benefits the industry offers

ight years ago, ReMaTec conducted an independent survey among 1,000 car owners in the Netherlands. We asked them whether they were aware of the existence of remanufactured parts and whether their garage has ever mentioned or proposed remanufactured parts as an alternative to original parts, aftermarket parts, used or repaired parts. The results didn’t surprise us. The majority (53%) didn’t know anything about reman parts - nor have they ever heard about it when having their car fixed (65%). What has happened since then? The financial crisis pushed the need for cost-effective alternatives. The circular economy concept has gained awareness. The Paris Climate Agreement raised environmental consciousness from consumers all over the world. It is safe to say that there is a growing belief among the general audience that the Earth’s scarce resources are not eternal and reuse could be a viable alternative.

Raised profile So, with so many well informed, environmentally conscious consumers driving the streets, why hasn’t the automotive parts remanufacturing industry managed to raise the profile of reman parts as the top quality, environmentally-friendly and costeffective alternative to new parts? I can’t agree more with Andrew Morlet, director at the Ellen McArthur Foundation, who said in his 2018 World Remanufacturing Conference address: “No one knows what remanufacturing is - you all have a communication issue.” Just think about the potential here. If consumers massively start asking their mechanics for reman parts when having their car maintained… Or when service

y 2019

INTERNATIONAL NET

WORK | KNOWLEDGE | BUSINESS

HOW REMAN CAN (HELP) SAVE THE PLANET UN res earch highlights sector’s sustainabl e role

stations distinguish themselves from the competition as ‘green garages’ with a ‘reman first’ policy… Or when politicians institute reman-friendly policies - such as having replacement parts specified on the bill as reman or new. If these things happen, then the entire parts remanufacturing industry would benefit from a new wave of increased demand. We’d collectively move away from product push into market pull. I strongly believe this beautiful industry - with its no-nonsense, can-do mentality - can work together to raise its profile and gain proper recognition for its top quality products. Let’s jump on the Remanufacturing Industries Council’s great train called Reman Day (11 April) and organise an inspiring public event in your neighbourhood. While we’re at it, why not also support (as trade association MERA does) Earth Day (22 April) too? There is no harm in doing Niels Klarenbeek

“Let’s show the world that reman is key to reducing energy consumption, cutting carbon emissions and saving scarce materials”

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Also

Continental: ‘We have to explain reman every day’ MERA and RIC-RIT confe rence repor ts Netflix and Spotify are chang ing remanufacturing

ED ON TIS M O G IU ROB RIN 9 S O & TU 01 MP D AC , 2 E SY ATE NUF 0-21 NSID I OMEMA ch 2AILS T AU R Mar DET

LEFT: Jumping on the Reman Day train makes sense ABOVE: Reman has many environmental benefits – it’s just that consumers don’t know about them both – the important thing is to get reman’s message to the widest possible audience.

Cutting carbon What else can you do? Make sure to invite members of the press and media to your stands at ReMaTec 2019 in Amsterdam this June. Let’s show the world that reman is key to reducing energy consumption, cutting carbon emissions and saving scarce materials. The industry also employs highly-skilled workers creating high quality products. There’s no better example of a ‘circular economy’. ReMaTec 2019 is a great place to showcase the advantages of reman to thought leaders, politicians, automotive editors and influencers all across Europe. The world’s leading reman companies exhibit here. We have state-of-theart reman and diagnostic equipment, passionate core suppliers and many innovative solutions on display. As well as exciting products, we also have great people: a staggering number of years of unbeatable reman experience will be walking up and down the aisles, ready (and able) to answer any questions. That’s not a bad place to become familiar with reman, is it? Let’s capitalise on this opportunity for the sake of our businesses and the environment. ReMaTecNews

BREXIT

Le big mess Confused? You’re not alone. As the clock ticks down to 29 March, remanufacturing businesses have become increasingly exasperated at the lack of clarity over Britain’s exit from the EU, finds Ian Hall

olitical, technical, legal, emotional: there are myriad perspectives on Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU). While UK and European leaders haggle as the clock ticks down towards Brexit – which, as ReMaTecNews goes to print, remains scheduled for 29 March - the remanufacturing industry has looked on with growing bewilderment and exasperation. With the terms of this unprecedented divorce highly contentious, business lobbies – both in the UK and on the Continent - have been voicing their frustration with increasing volume as Brexit nears reality and the uncertainty mounts. We approached around 30 businesses and organisations in the UK and the rest of Europe. Many declined to comment or would only provide background.

Supply chain concern What the Brexit process has laid bare is the extent to which large parts of British industry (and its laws) are entwined with industry in the other 27 EU member countries - particularly, for reman, western European states. Mapping this, and then unpicking it, would be like trying to unscramble an egg. A report published before the UK’s EU referendum in 2016 by European association Ceemet saw Brexit as a ‘lose-lose’ for both the EU and UK. The analysis warned that the impact of Brexit could trigger a downward spiral in UK gross domestic product (GDP) growth for industry, with the worst affected companies being ‘medium-sized manufacturers in complex global supply chains’. This does not sound ideal for reman. EEF, the manufacturers’ association, is one of the most influential UK manufacturing lobby groups. Fergus McReynolds, EEF’s director of EU affairs, tells ReMaTecNews that he

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sees four priorities as regards Brexit for remanufacturers: “First, that there is a meaningful transition period, allowing businesses time to adapt. Second, that frictionless trade is sustained - we have had more than 40 years of supply chains across the EU becoming more integrated. Third, that labour can still flow across borders, not just to address the skills gap in the UK manufacturing sector, but to service the operation of integrated supply chains. Fourth, regulatory elements: one product should be able to service multiple markets.” At time of writing, the likelihood of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit was increasing. The numbers have likely changed in recent weeks, but McReynolds says: “Data from September 2018 showed that 83% of firms [were] not prepared for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. It’s very difficult for small- and medium-size companies to prepare for an unknown outcome.”

Moving goalposts ‘Very difficult’ indeed. But reman businesses are doing their best to plan amid the political uncertainty. Mark Bowen is group sales director at ATP Group, a British firm with almost 200 staff: 65% of ATP’s production is sold overseas, mainly to western Europe. He tells ReMaTecNews: “My job is to strategically plan for the next three years and yet the goalposts with Brexit are moving all the time. Markets dislike uncertainty, which is what we have with Brexit.” One Brexit-related issue for businesses is currency exchange rates. Bowen says: “At ATP we trade in sterling [GBP], with one small exception, which may be unusual in the reman industry. But we negotiate hard to have our contracts in GBP. The lower value of sterling works both ways – it weakens our hand with procurement [from EU states] but is better for sales. So, what you gain with one hand, you lose with another.”

A colleague of Bowen’s at ATP is Malcolm Morris, who is also chair of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)’s reman committee. With his ATP hat on, Morris picks up on Bowen’s concern about exchange rates. “We have done a few ‘what if’ scenarios [for Brexit], for example looking at what exchange rate fluctuations could mean and what tariff changes could mean,” he explains. “The latter could increase costs by 2-3% or, if we go to World Trade Organisation [WTO] rules, this could be as high as 10%. This would be an increased cost for ATP, and I’m unsure if we could recover this from our customers.” ATP remanufactures about 6,000 transmissions each year, which rely on spare parts imported from other EU countries. The company spends about £1 million per year on spare parts for gearbox reman work. Morris says: “Some suppliers [elsewhere in the EU] may jump on the bandwagon and put up their prices because of Brexit anyway but, regardless, [post-Brexit] tariff increases of 10% would increase ATP’s bottomline costs by £100,000 in respect of transmissions alone. Firms may be able to claim some of this tax back on exports but the mechanism for doing so is not simple.”

Replacement business Brexit advocates envisage British firms picking up more business from beyond European shores to more than compensate for any lost business from the EU’s other 27 states. But Morris is

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BREXIT

Brexit has laid bare the extent to which large parts of British industry (and its laws) are entwined with industry in the other 27 EU member countries

not convinced, unable to see upsides to Brexit. He says: “I cannot see any at the moment. In general terms, I don’t think the UK will be able to replace all this European business with American business, and the other post-Brexit markets being touted, such as Australia and New Zealand, are relatively small. For ATP, the auto industry is much more European [than global] and I don’t understand why so much of the discourse is US-focused.” Another firm watching Brexit closely is Autocraft Drivetrain Solutions, Europe’s largest independent engine remanufacturer and assembler. The firm is reliant on cores being imported to the UK. Mike Hague-Morgan, co-owner and commercial director, tells ReMaTecNews that his biggest concern about Brexit is a ‘no-deal’ scenario in which cores and new components required for reman are stuck in customs or in lengthy queues at ports - combined with extra duties, tariffs and costs associated in stockpiling parts. Autocraft’s remanufactured engines are sold direct to global automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) via

their UK or EU-based subsidiaries, which distribute the engines through their worldwide dealer networks. Autocraft estimates that it exports directly only 4% of engines to non-EU countries. By selling direct to mainly UK and EU-based OEMs, Autocraft has to rely on the export teams in its customers’ businesses to be able to continue to export the engines after Brexit. Without an EU-UK customs union, British exporters will face a new barrier to trade: ‘rules of origin’. In planning for Brexit, Autocraft has done much work in identifying the rules of origin for the components it requires in both the remanufacturing, and new engine assembly, processes. To be deemed a UKproduct, more than 50% of the product’s content must be deemed local, according to experts. For less complex components, Autocraft sees traceability as relatively straightforward, but when analysing assemblies, in particular electronics, it sees it as ‘very difficult’ to drill down to the origin of each component within an

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assembly. Even purchasing from a UK supplier will still require detailed rules of origin analysis if the components are to be designated as local origin, says Hague-Morgan. Brexit is clearly causing headaches, never mind head-scratching.

Government position Naturally, ReMaTecNews posed the overarching question – ‘What will Brexit mean for reman?’ - to the UK government’s Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). The department, which has been holding meetings with increasingly concerned stakeholders from the broader waste sector, directed us to ‘Our Waste, Our Resources: A Strategy for England’, the statement of intent published in December 2018. This contains the word ‘Brexit’ just twice in its 146 pages but has repeated references to reman’s potential (albeit often in aspirational rather ➤ ReMaTecNews

BREXIT

“My job is to strategically plan for the next three years and yet the goalposts with Brexit are moving all the time - markets dislike uncertainty, which is what we have with Brexit” MARK BOWEN, ATP

“One thing the UK could potentially do post-Brexit is…to specify that products and parts being used for remanufacturing are never classed as waste” ANITA LLOYD, SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS

“I don’t think the UK will be able to replace all this European business with American business, and the other post-Brexit markets being touted, such as Australia and New Zealand, are relatively small” MALCOLM MORRIS, ATP

“83% of firms are not prepared for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit: it’s very difficult for small- and medium-size companies to prepare for an unknown outcome” FERGUS MCREYNOLDS, EEF

➤

than specific terms). This strategy document was long-awaited and its timing as Brexit looms is unlikely to be coincidental. It is interesting to note that Dustin Benton of think-tank Green Alliance told a UK House of Lords select committee in 2017 that “for a very long time, the EU has led waste policy and Defra has effectively become an implementer. Back in 2013, I received a letter from the then minister of state saying: ‘We are effectively getting out of waste policy because we do not feel we need to do anything. Effectively, the EU is doing it for us’. That is not tenable after Brexit”. Anita Lloyd, who specialises in environmental and sustainability matters, including waste, at law firm Squire Patton Boggs, has pored over the new strategy and is particularly interested in the legal aspects of Brexit for the reman sector. She tells ReMaTecNews: “I see remanufacturing as sitting in between

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manufacturing and waste management. So, from a legal perspective, I’d be most interested to see what happens to the UK’s waste and producer responsibility laws after Brexit in relation to the status and treatment of reman.”

Tidying up All the current laws from the EU on manufacturing, waste, and the parts of the EU Circular Economy package that are already implemented, will effectively be copied into UK law as the UK exits the EU, she goes on. “There’s a lot of tidying up to do, but the body of legislation basically remains the same straight after Brexit. It’s more a question of what happens in the months and years after that, and how it may change.” In respect of the government’s strategy document, she says: “Even though the strategy doesn’t really talk about Brexit, I think this - and the 25-year plan published in January 2018 - was really

the government setting out its postBrexit vision. The government has the opportunity to set out its own stall and policy goals because it won’t necessarily be constrained or directed by EU policy anymore.” The government’s 146-page document has a section on defining waste, describing UK guidance on ‘end of waste’ as ‘some of the most comprehensive in Europe’ (as well as flagging the existence of the Environment Agency’s re-opened ‘Definition of Waste’ service). But it also says that it will ‘review the end-of-waste criteria and tests that are currently laid out in the Waste Framework Directive’. Looking at the EU side to this, Lloyd says “The EU definition of waste is very woolly and there’s a lot of case law related to this. In the context of remanufacturing, there are difficult assessments to be made as to whether something has become a waste, and if so, when it can cease to be a waste and has achieved end-of-waste status.” She continues: “One thing the UK could potentially do post-Brexit is change the definition of waste, for example to specify that products and parts being used for remanufacturing are never classed as waste. Or the UK could make it clearer when end-of-waste status is reached. But then the UK would have to be careful in respect of how that impacts trade with firms in EU countries working to a different [EU] definition.”

Political volatility With the political situation so volatile (and future uncertain) as this article was being compiled, the most urgent question for most in the industry – along with concern about the exchange rate – was on what terms the UK will leave the EU. Looking to the medium term and beyond, the question is whether – and how – policy differences will open up. Perhaps the only clear thing is that 29 March isn’t the end of the Brexit story merely the start of the next chapter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ian Hall is a former UK director of media network Euractiv and ex-editor of Public Affairs News. He has been writing about UK-EU matters for more than a decade

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ROBOTICS

Apple’s robot Daisy, revealed last year, can dismantle iPhones

Picture credit: Apple

Picturing the future Robotics and automation are increasingly interesting areas for remanufacturers. Andrew Williams of European Robotics Review looks at how the technology might streamline and improve processes

rompted by an ongoing upsurge of interest in closed loop systems there is now a heightened awareness of the environmental and financial benefits of industrial remanufacturing processes. In an effort to improve the efficiency of such systems, a growing number of organisations have begun to research, develop and install robotics technology. So, what are the main current applications of robotics and autonomous technology in the industrial remanufacturing sector? What are the main benefits of using robotics technology for remanufacturing - and what challenges do companies face when using it? And what might be the key

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potential applications of robotics and autonomous technology in reman over the next few years?

Engine remanufacture According to Nick Cliffe, interim head of advanced materials at Innovate UK, many of the main existing examples of the use of robotic or autonomous technology in reman processes are in the automotive industry. He cites a number of applications, including the use of robotic systems to re-bore cylinders and deconstruct engine blocks prior to remanufacture. He also points to the existence of ‘smart systems’ which allow people to “carry out processes involved in remanufacture with the same levels

of traceability and quality control” as standard manufacturing systems. “For example, if a person is rebuilding an engine that was originally built by a robot and requires a series of bolts to be tightened in a specific order and with a specific torque, then a smart tool can track that a person is doing this correctly - whereas a robot would just be programmed to do it,” says Cliffe. “At a more early stage, I’ve also seen the use of robots being explored for the disassembly and removal of electronic components, including batteries, from cars - mainly for recycling, but this could increasingly be part of remanufacturing. I am also aware of the use of robots for recovering valuable components from

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ROBOTICS

steps to a larger extent than before,” Sundin says. “Some challenges are to be able to tackle the variation of product types that remanufacturing companies are dealing with. Also, there must be a good economic calculation that shows that the robotic investments are preferable.”

electronics waste, for example Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot.”

Repeatability and accuracy

Retrieving components for reman is one possible use for robots

Picture credit: Apple

In Cliffe’s view, the principal benefits of using robotics technology in remanufacturing systems is the capacity to ensure “repeatability and accuracy and ultimately improve the productivity of remanufacturing operations” by augmenting often expensive human efforts. “The challenge is in the nature of remanufacturing. With remanufacturing you start with a finished product and have to disassemble it, the next product might be a different make or model - for example, in the case of electronics waste this can be highly variable,” he says. “The handling, tool requirements and so on are so varied it is very challenging to do this with robots - as opposed to manufacturing where robots are doing the same activity in the same way time after time. I think that robotic approaches to remanufacture will have to be much more adaptive, dextrous and flexible.” Elsewhere, Erik Sundin, associate professor of manufacturing and remanufacturing at Linköping University in Sweden, argues that the main benefit of using robots in this context is that they can “take care of process steps that

are not preferable from a manual work environment”. These might include lifting heavy parts and cleaning dirty products, as well as making the remanufacturing process more efficient. “The development of the robotic area has made it possible to automate process

Improved competitiveness Looking ahead, Sundin is confident that future robots will continue to be capable of dealing with process steps that are “bad from a work environment perspective” - in particular, existing elements of remanufacturing processes that are “dirty and noisy”, which he argues should preferably be performed by robots or in machines. “In addition, heavy lifts and sorting steps could also be performed by robots,” he says. As part of an effort to explore some ➤

“Challenges are to tackle the variation of product types that remanufacturing companies are dealing with…Also, there must be a good economic calculation that shows that robotic investments are preferable” ERIK SUNDIN

Developing a solution for single-use cameras One of the earliest examples of autonomous remanufacture is a fully automatic process for the remanufacturing of singleuse cameras established by Fuji Film in Japan in the 1990s. Although it enjoyed a good deal of global commercial success following the launch of its popular single-use cameras in 1990, the company found that many of the devices were accumulating at photo shops following the development of the images they contained. During this time, there was also an increase in environmental awareness, culminating in an upsurge in

criticism directed towards the single-use cameras, as well as the fact that their batteries were used only once. As Erik Sundin of Linköping University explains, this negative attention prompted Fuji Film to take responsibility for collecting and recycling or remanufacturing the devices - and assigned 50 of the 250 or so employees at its four manufacturing facilities in Ashihagara to work in a dedicated remanufacturing facility. As a result, Sundin reports that, by 2004, some 36 million - or 60% - of the 60 million single-use cameras produced by the company annually were assembled

at the remanufacturing facility. Internationally, Fuji Film also established other remanufacturing facilities: two in Greenwood, South Carolina, US, and one in Kleve, Germany. However, according to Sundin, these did “not have the same level of automation as the Ashihagara facility”. During the 1990s, the Ashihagara facility already stated about 15 different types of single-use cameras collected - of which, an impressive 90% were remanufactured. For the remanufacturing of the main types, the process is fully automated, with cameras that are not

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mainstream processed manually. Once the products arrive at Ashihagara, they go through a number of procedures, including: sorting, disassembly, cleaning, inspection, repair, assembly, further inspection and packaging. “In the sorting step, the cameras that are automatically processed and the cameras that need to be remanufactured manually are separated. Following the sorting step, the automatic process is a fast, straight and singular flow. After disassembly, all components are processed in parallel,” says Sundin.

ReMaTecNews

ROBOTICS

What might be the potential applications of robotics and autonomous technology in reman over the next few years?

Bertel Ravn Technical director, Budweg Caliper

Q What is Budweg’s main reman business?

A We remanufacture brake caliper

➤

of the ways in which robotics can assist with such changes, Sundin is a member of a national research project in Sweden called Automation in Repairs and Remanufacturing (ARR) with partners including Linköping University, Swerea, system integrator Yaskawa Nordic and toner cartridge remanufacturer Scandi-Toner, as well as photocopier repairer Scandi-Gruppen, IT equipment remanufacturer Inrego and car part remanufacturer Megalans. As he explains, the objective of the initiative, financed by the Produktion2030 research programme, is to develop the potential for automation in repairs and remanufacturing. In doing so, the two overarching goals of the project are to identify existing challenges and to demonstrate ‘conceptual

RELIB Project The RELIB project, headed by The Faraday Institution in the UK, aims to establish the technological, economic and legal infrastructure required to optimise the efficiency of material management from lithium-ion batteries utilised in the automotive sector. Among other things, the project team will develop ways of optimising “efficient and safe systems for repair, reconditioning and re-use of battery packs and components” that will entail “fully-autonomous gateway testing and robotic sorting”.

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implementations’ for automating these areas. In Sundin’s view, the ultimate aim is to increase the competitiveness of Swedish industry by demonstrating how automation can be successfully used in a cost-effective way at Swedish remanufacturing companies. “The ARR project starts with automation analyses at small and medium-sized enterprises that repair and remanufacture electric products,” he explains. “Then virtual and physical automation solutions are developed that are sustainable from economic, environmental and social perspectives. Technology providers, repair and remanufacturing companies will achieve opportunities to sell the technologies and products. Another effect of this project is that more remanufactured products will be available and contribute to a more circular economy society.” Symposium on Automated & Robotised Remanufacturing, 20-21 March www.umwelt-campus.de/Symposium

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrew Williams is European editor for Robotics Business Review

housings. Q How do you use automation? A We started in 2012 and mainly use it in the sorting and packing area. For handling and storage we have a vertical storage lift system from Kardex and a vertical buffer for assembly operation. Q Why did you think automation would help? A Efficiency improvements to reduce cost; uniformity; relieving physical, heavy work; greater flexibility. Q What are you able to do now that you could not do before? A Fewer errors; easier to get extra staff in relation to fluctuations in sales; less training; better utilisation of production area; shorter reaction time – lead time; and better quality. Q Is any reman operation suitable to be automated? A No, not in my opinion. Working with a huge portfolio and low quantity it is difficult to get reasonable payback. Q What mistakes did you make when switching? A Future customer requirements and needs were not in focus - we looked at the current situation and growth. Suddenly, a new customer with other requirements appeared! Q Do you plan to bring automation into your business even more in future? A Yes. Together with an external robot company we have scanned the company for other opportunities. Four possible cases have been mapped. Q Would you advise companies to explore automation? A Definitely – there are plenty of opportunities.

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Pic credit: Deutsche Turbo

CLEANING

Making waves

The three-bath cleaning system offers one cleaning step and two rinsing steps

Deutsche Turbo has turned to cleaning companies Weber and Adunatec to help ensure the quality of its turbocharger reman operation, reports Doris Schultz

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electronically-controlled turbos and regulated two-stage charging.

Reproducible quality The turbocharger remanufacturing company works according to industrial standards which ensure reproducible

quality in compliance with original equipment suppliers. Each turbocharger runs through a multi-stage process which concludes with a quality audit of each manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specifications. The initial steps include registration, evaluation and sorting of used parts according to Pic credit: Deutsche Turbo

he remanufacturing of vehicular components such as turbochargers allows for savings in raw material, energy and cost - provided that the high-quality demands of the automotive industry and similar fields are fulfilled. To guarantee top quality, turbocharger reman specialist Deutsche Turbo has invested in an aqueous cleaning system. The use of ultrasound ensures that the usual cleanliness specifications in the vehicular sector are met reliably and economically. The German company, founded as a subsidiary of the SERCOO Group in 2015, has specialised in the manufacturer-independent serial processing of turbochargers for both the auto and energy sectors. The focus is on components for gasoline and diesel motors in cars, trucks and commercial vehicles, as well as heavy duty and offhighway uses. Capacity stands at about 100,000 remanufactured turbochargers per year. The company, headquartered in the northern town of Lingen, has a state-of-the-art production line equipped especially for the new, sophisticated turbocharger technologies, such as

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CLEANING

that the ultrasonic waves are aimed directly at the parts to be cleaned. The combination results in maximum effect with very brief cleaning times. Process reliability is also guaranteed by the integrated frequency monitoring and the ideal coordination of generator and transducer. “When we clean parts with oil ducts, undercuts, fine capillaries and thread screws, ultrasound makes it possible to quickly and reliably achieve the cleanliness required and therefore meets our requirements,” says Wenzel. “Depending on the programme, it takes 12-15 minutes for cleaning and drying.”

Processes, measurement and testing procedures in reman correspond to those in series production of turbochargers

Fully automatic Pic credit: Deutsche Turbo

quality levels. Once the turbocharger has been dismantled, individual components such as turbine, bearing and compressor housing, rotor, clamping segments and compressor wheels are cleaned. Additional cleaning is done after the parts have been processed. “To fulfill the cleanliness specifications of the automobile industry, we work with the aqueous parts cleaning system Aduna K100,” said Peter Wenzel, head of project management at Deutsche Turbo. The spray-flood chamber cleaning system for water-based media is made by Adunatec, part of the Mack Group. The familyowned, Mainhardt-based firm develops, manufactures and markets water-based systems for industrial parts cleaning. Deutsche Turbo chose a three-bath facility which offers one cleaning step for dissolving and cleaning, two rinsing steps and vacuum drying. The cleaner is selected for the different materials to be cleaned, such as aluminium, bronze, cast iron, stainless steel and titanium, and the contaminants to be removed (oil, grease, rust, sand, salt and dust). “We chose Adunatec for the modular design of the system, the company’s fast and straightforward reaction to our technical requirements and the solid support we received with our questions about cleaning,” Wenzel explains. Before the company made an investment, engineers estimated the system’s potential throughput and found that the capacity of the K100 is sufficient even at full capacity utilisation.

The system used by Deutsche Turbo comprises the compact module generator Sonic Digital MG with 1500watt power and corresponding plate transducers. Weber Digital frequency generation and regulation in the robust ultrasonic generator are handled by a modern 32-bit microcontroller. Performance can be set in one per cent increments in a range from 10100%. The 40kHz frequency permits intense but gentle treatment of parts made of different materials while the set-up of the plate transducers ensures

The company is working with five part-specific cleaning programmes. For each of the stored programmes, process parameters (such as use and timing of spray and flood cleaning, power and duration of ultrasound in the cleaning and rinsing stages) are set for the different part geometries and materials, plus the type and amount of contamination. Basket conveyance and programme selection are now managed manually. The system, however, has been prepared for fully-automatic basket feed with RFID labelling for the parts to be cleaned. The cleaning process runs automatically according to the selected programme. “With the K100 we achieve the cleaning results we need to ensure the high quality of the turbochargers we remanufacture,” concludes Wenzel.

The parts to be cleaned are placed in stainless steel baskets (dimensions 651 x 471 x 300mm). The cleaning system is equipped with spray nozzles positioned at the smallest possible distance from the workpiece in order to ensure the effectiveness of the spraying function. Injection flooding also is possible. When the parts are completely immersed in the cleaning medium, another medium is added to the filled cleaning chamber via nozzles under full pump pressure. Strong turbulence ensues, along with a suction effect which removes contaminants. An integrated ultrasonic solution contributes to fast and process-reliable parts cleaning. This is provided by Weber Ultrasonics, which has an HQ in Karlsbad but employs 130 staff worldwide, including at a US subsidiary.

Pic credit: Deutsche Turbo

Ultrasound guarantees

Ultrasound ensures that the required cleanliness is achieved quickly

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ReMaTecNews

COMPANY PROFILE: CUMMINS DIESEL RECON

A century of progress Cummins has a thriving line in engine reman. As the US giant celebrates 100 years in business, Adam Hill visits the company’s Scottish remanufacturing plant to find out more

t is not unknown to see soldiers with swords running across a field near Cummins’ remanufacturing operation in Scotland. This is not because Cumbernauld – a town which lies between the better-known cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh – is in a war zone. Rather, Cummins shares an industrial estate with Wardpark Studios, where Amazon Prime’s time-travel drama Outlander is filmed. The programme is set during the country’s bloody Jacobite rebellion in the 18th century – hence the scary men with swords. They are just actors. “It’s quite surreal,” says David Russell, operations leader at Cummins Diesel ReCon. Cummins has a fair bit of history itself: the US-headquartered engine manufacturer is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. One of the bestknown names in the business, it is a global behemoth, with worldwide sales of $19 billion in 2017. What is perhaps less well known is that it also has a thriving international reman operation and Cummins Diesel ReCon in Scotland is at its vanguard. There has been a Cummins UK operation for the last 60 years and Cumbernauld has been up and running since 1985. It supplies remanufactured engines to the company’s parts distribution centre in Rumst, Belgium – and therefore on to the world - and

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also has a line in new cylinder heads (manufacturing 50-70 each day) which go to Cummins’ operation in Daventry, England.

Urgent gap The company – in common with just about every other original equipment manufacturer (OEM) – reports that customers are occasionally reticent about using reman parts. But typically, Cummins’ remanufactured products retail for 15-20% less than new ones. And they might fill an urgent gap for customers which have a vehicle out of action. A new engine – especially if it is not the latest model – might take 12 weeks to arrive; but a reman one can often be with the customer at 8am the next day. “The reman business allows us to support customers for a long period,” says Colin Pettigrew, product engineering leader. “It also supports us from a parts point of view.” There is a perception that some OEMs might be less interested in customers who are not themselves interested in new after seven or eight

years but Cummins is keen not to be seen as one of these. Therefore the Cumbernauld reman operation takes pressure off Cummins’ new-build facilities. At the company’s Darlington site in England, for instance, the focus might naturally be on producing new Euro 6 engines, whereas a customer might simply want a Euro 5 – and this is where the Cumbernauld site comes into its own. “New and recon parts is a big area for Cummins,” confirms Cumbernauld plant manager Jenae Johnson-Carr. “When the market goes down, reman is very stable. That’s a huge benefit to us, even when you’re seeing cyclical changes.” Seen in this light, Cummins is keen to balance the benefits of selling new (more revenue and the latest product for customers) with the benefits of offering remanufactured products (supporting the customer long term and providing a different price point). “We’re getting the reman folks out there, selling reman,” she adds with a determined smile.

“When the market goes down, reman is very stable. That’s a huge benefit to us, even when you’re seeing cyclical changes.” JENAE JOHNSON-CARR, Cummins Email your comments and stories to editorial@rematecnews.com

COMPANY PROFILE: CUMMINS DIESEL RECON

Local talent Pettigrew, Russell (both Scottish) and Johnson-Carr (an American) make a sparky team with a nice line in dry humour. They are informed, welcoming and clearly proud of their operation, which may go some way to explaining why Cummins is a popular employer in these parts. When it comes to recruitment, the company draws on its local area – but with a view to developing talent via internal training rather than hiring it fully formed. “Reman engineers don’t really exist,” smiles Pettigrew. “So we’re hiring to develop people in engineering, developing the skills we need at the plant. Recruitment is not difficult in this area.” Students routinely come into the plant for a few months in summer, and are paid to do so. “We give them real projects,” explains Johnson-Carr. “Trust me – they work for that money.” Disassembly and cleaning are obvious places for newcomers to start in remanufacturing. “It is a fantastic place to start learning,” says Russell. But Cummins is serious about pushing people through the business. There is an apprenticeship programme and a ‘technician’ grade is being introduced to give staff a sense of momentum. “So someone coming in can see a progression,” adds Johnson-Carr. Diversity is also taken seriously by Cummins, not least with its Women in Engineering initiative. And all employees are given half a day off each year to involve themselves in some sort of community or charity project. “It’s encouraged strongly,” says Johnson-Carr.

companies, such as Komatsu (long blocks), Wirtgen (long and short blocks), JCB and various bus operators. But often the work is ‘white label’. “Sometimes we’re blind,” says Johnson-Carr. “We don’t know exactly where it’s going to end up.” Cumbernauld is not the only Cummins site which offers new life to old equipment. There are reman operations in the US, China, Brazil and Mexico. The manufacturer also has 16 ‘master rebuild centres’ worldwide in far-flung countries

such as South Africa, Peru and Mongolia. These are focused on engines above 19 litres capacity and tend to be close to where companies – such as those involved in mining operations – actually run their vehicles. It doesn’t make sense to ship from Brisbane to Cumbernauld when mining trucks might be rebuilt three or four times in their lifetime of 24/7 running. “From a business perspective, this makes a huge amount of sense,” says Russell. The technical challenges of ➤

LEFT: David Russell (left) and Colin Pettigrew BELOW: Cumbernauld is Cummins’ only reman plant in the UK BOTTOM: Reman engines can often be with the customer at 8am the next day

Global view Currently a single-shift operation, expansion in remanufacturing is possible at Cumbernauld. “We’re fairly maxed out, but if volume went up we can run a second shift,” says Pettigrew. “Reman tends to be quite stable. There is not huge expansion out there in terms of reman engines per se – probably more in terms of components.” There are also opportunities for automation at Cumbernauld but more volume is probably required to make that viable, the team thinks. “There is a huge amount of variation from engine to engine,” says Pettigrew. In line with its international reach, Cummins spreads its net wide, remanufacturing engines for other Visit ReMaTec 2019! Use invitation code 710001 at www.rematec.com/register

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COMPANY PROFILE: CUMMINS DIESEL RECON

Brexit actually hits, there will be a shortterm problem as companies scramble to satisfy customers – but that then things will even out. The readiness is all and holding extra inventory might be one way round the problem. “So long as we’re protecting customers in that time period, it will be okay,” Johnson-Carr says. “What’s beneficial to us is that we can direct ship to UK customers if necessary.” In the US, the talk at Cummins is not of Brexit – but of tariffs. Cummins chief executive Tom Linebarger has already criticised the Trump administration’s trade war with China. As ReMaTecNews went to press, it was not clear whether new Sino-US talks would solve this – or, indeed, whether Brexit would take place as scheduled on 29 March.

Future-proofing

‘The reman business allows us to support customers for a long period,’ says Cummins

➤

remanufacturing are one thing: but there are logistical issues too. “One of the big challenges is the identification of parts,” explains Russell. For some Cummins parts there might be, in effect, 10 actual part numbers - all of which are accurate. “Cummins do change numbers when there’s a small change in the part,” he goes on. “That makes things a little more difficult.” That old bugbear of remanufacturers – getting enough core – is handled at the group’s substantial reverse logistics operation in Memphis, US.

Challenges ahead There are still challenges ahead. For instance, Cummins globally is looking at electrification. “It’s about getting involved at the front end,” agrees Johnson-Carr. The company is talking about how it can remanufacture the battery packs. “But diesels will be around for a long time,” she insists. As Pettigrew points out, not enough investment has been made into the

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charging network which would give people the confidence to purchase an electric vehicle – whatever governments and local authorities say about the benefits. A likely scenario is that longhaul trucks will be a hybrid diesel and electric engine – but either way, that seems to be something Cummins is relaxed about. Electrification presents a technical challenge for remanufacturers – given enough time, you would back companies to find an answer to it. However, another major issue hovering over any business with operations in the UK requires a crystal ball and nerves of steel: Brexit. Given the importance of its relationship with the Rumst site in Belgium, it makes sense for Cummins to seek ‘authorised economic operator’ status, which would allow the company to enjoy something close to frictionless trade throughout the European Union – even after the UK leaves (whether that happens in March, as planned, or a later date). Either way, Cummins feels that when

However uncertain the world economic situation might be, remanufacturers can take steps to control some important parts of their day job, such as futureproofing. Cummins is in pole position to be able to standardise some of the specifics when it comes to reman processes. “If we’re adding material, we know we can dip into our engineering standard work,” says Russell. “For instance, we can add material onto a cylinder head but would need to run a 20,000-hour test. The process we need to follow is there.” There are conundrums when it comes to Design4Reman, of course: make it too easy and everyone can do it; make it too difficult and the process ceases to be attractive. As an OEM, Cummins has the advantage of knowing – at least with its own products - exactly what it is remanufacturing. “I can pick up any component on the shop floor, go to the database and all the drawings are there,” says Pettigrew. “But if you’re reverse engineering, you’ve got to come up with your own specifications, and validate them.” Does it annoy Cummins that some companies are doing something less intensive than genuine reman? “There are companies out there just doing a rebuild engine which is a good product,” muses Pettigrew. “It’s a competitive market.” He does not seem ruffled by this. “As an OEM, we’re in a good place,” he concludes. “We can see what’s coming over the horizon.”

Email your comments and stories to editorial@rematecnews.com

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APRA needs YOU! Recognising the interests of local countries and cultures will transform our association, says APRA Europe chairman Daniel Koehler. So let’s grow the remanufacturing community, together Last year, APRA Europe chairman Dr. Daniel Koehler announced his bold aspirations for the organisation, which include more local and regional activity (‘APRA Europe moves to the next level’, ReMaTecNews June/July 2018). One key element will be the creation of APRA Ambassadors for distinct countries. He now calls for volunteers to become APRA Ambassadors and gives more details about the idea. “Time flies and the challenging project plan for my ‘chairman’s strategy’ turns into reality step by step,” Koehler says. Integral to his vision is what he calls the localisation strategy. This means improving the local physical presence - or at least the perception of it - thus giving consideration to the manifold cultural and language backgrounds inside European countries or regions. “We simply have an issue reaching out to small French or Spanish remanufacturers, for example,” Koehler explains. “They may want - or, due to lack of language skills, simply have - to be contacted in their local languages. They want to be fully understood and appreciated in terms of business habits, local branch requirements or national legal frameworks.”

• Considering local requirements, habits, rules and languages for advancing APRA Europe’s positioning • Providing better services, e.g. through native language contact persons and marketing material • Addressing smaller companies • Growing the numbers in our remanufacturing network in order to get more weight in official discussions, hearings, working groups and political movements For the implementation of the localisation strategy, Koehler counts on future APRA Ambassadors. These can be any employee of an APRA member company. He or she will represent APRA Europe in their home countries – of course, with the support of the APRA Europe board and office. Their duties will include such tasks as translation of marketing

material, answering requests in their local language, promoting APRA in their country, gathering interesting market information for publication and – above all - being an interface between APRA and the local associations, institutions, media partners and so on. In return, volunteers will benefit from better market access and recognition of their own company as well as the reputation of being an ambassador for the organisation. The names of APRA Ambassadors will be published and officially communicated via APRA’s manifold communication and marketing channels. In order to plant and grow his localisation strategy, the chairman of APRA Europe now calls for volunteer APRA Ambassadors: “Let us grow the remanufacturing community, together!”

In total, the localisation strategy aims at: • Enhancing the recognition of APRA Europe and remanufacturing among European countries

Call for volunteers! Please send your candidacy together with brief background information about yourself, your preferred country or region as an Ambassador, and your company to europe@apra.org You will then be given more detailed information. Your candidacy will be treated confidentially during the designation process.

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ReMaTecNews

DIARY

March 2019 20.Mar - 21.Mar

SYMPOSIUM ON AUTOMATED & ROBOTISED REMANUFACTURING Trier, Germany The event will bring together engineers and managers involved in optimising, planning and developing reman processes, with input from equipment suppliers and academics. ReMaTecNews is delighted to be the symposium’s media partner.

April 2019 04.Apr - 07.Apr

AUTOMECHANIKA ISTANBUL Istanbul, Turkey 11.Apr

REMAN DAY Global event, organised by the Remanufacturing Industries Council, which aims to promote the remanufacturing industry to the wider public worldwide. 22.Apr

EARTH DAY International day of political action and civic participation, focused on protecting the environment. Earth Day Network expects one billion people in 192 countries to participate worldwide.

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AUTOPROMOTEC Bologna, Italy

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AUTOMECHANIKA BIRMINGHAM Birmingham, UK 18.Jun - 20.Jun

CIRCULARITY19 Minneapolis, USA New circular economy event, supported by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 23.Jun - 25.Jun

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AAG AUTO AFTERMARKET Guangzhou, China Includes the Remanufacturing Forum, organised by China Parts Remanufacturing Association (CPRA).

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Send your remanufacturing diary events to editorial@rematec.com

Make the most of your USP! All engine reman workshops are unique, says Volker Schittenhelm. So it is worth examining what makes you different – and explaining that to customers

Cause and effect

IM PA C T

To give some numbers: in Germany alone, we talk about more than 21,000 independent car workshops and 16,300 dependent (original equipment supplier) workshops – not counting truck, light commercial vehicle, agricultural machinery and construction equipment workshops. All these are your competitors. In general – with some exceptions to that rule – these tend to be parts exchangers with no deep knowledge of engines. Their only tool is their diagnostic tool, using it with the naïve hope that the tool leads them to the solution of the failed part or whatever. And the customer pays for the central processing unit (CPU) for example, which the workshop staff assumes to be the cause of the malfunction/ failure/damage/ excessive wear. And in case, the assumed CPU is not the reason, the workshop is not willing to take-back the exchanged CPU. The example of a CPU can be replicated in nearly every repair case. It is mostly a ‘trial and error’ strategy, rather than a targeted one, which most workshops follow.

Scenario 1: Car/truck/construction equipment repair workshops

And you? You are far away from a ‘parts changer’. You are far away from diagnostic tools in order to find the reason for a failure. You have analytical skills and make plausibility checks; you have a simple measuring tool to check current, voltage, resistance, pressure; you have specific measuring and testing tools. You see the effect and find out the cause of your failed, damaged or worn engine or component. You can ‘read’ the book; you can read the damaged piston, bearing, cylinder head gasket, injection nozzles – in short, every damaged component of an engine – to find the real reason for the failure, backed up by in-depth, failure-mode posters and sophisticated documentation by parts manufacturers’ aftermarket divisions. You are part of a network and can rely

CA US

Does engine remanufacturing have a unique selling proposition (USP)? Do engine reman workshops have one? If so, what is their USP? What makes them so unique? Let’s bring some light into the darkness. Definition: the USP is a particular feature that has been identified as the one that makes a company’s product or service different from - and better than - their competitors. First we have to define ‘competitors’ from an engine remanufacturer’s perspective.

Minor problem - big impact

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on the support of engine component manufacturers and additional specialised companies for part failure analysis. You are the technical doctor - the technical snooper - to find out the real reason for the damage. And that part which causes the problem is what you repair, reman or exchange and nothing else. As Sherlock Holmes said: “There are only a few persons able to conclude, from a result, the incident and contexts that have led to it.”

Scenario 2: The next engine reman workshop in town That is your colleague and NOT your competitor! Work with him and other engine reman specialists to offer your customers a maximum on services and know-how. And for your individual engine reman workshop, find out your individual engine reman USP – for example, dynamic balancing of crankshafts, reman of aluminium or engine blocks - and publish it within your network. Specialising is the key: a specialist can perform better work and provide a better service or product than an engine reman generalist. So find out and be aware of your USP and talk about it. Despite the current discussion about diesel engines – specialising is your future. Expert in engine reman? Now’s your chance to prove it! p7

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