Remanufacturing and refurbishing

Remanufacturing extends the life and usefulness of materials by returning a used product to at least its original performance with a warranty that is equivalent to or better than that of the new product.

This process involves dismantling the product, restoring and replacing components and testing the individual parts and the finished product to ensure that it is within its original design specifications. The price of remanufactured products is typically lower than the price of a comparable new product.

Remanufacturing is not new in the UK and is common in aerospace, automotive parts, energy and rail industries. Some businesses that produce remanufactured goods also produce new goods.

How this can benefit your business

Operating a remanufacturing business can:

• reduce supply risks of your raw materials (up to 85% of the weight of a remanufactured product is from used parts)
• improve your resource efficiency (between 50-80% less energy is used remanufacturing a product)
• bring greater levels of profit than manufacturing new products
• enhance your environmental performance by preventing landfill and getting maximum value from resources.    

See the case study of a successful business that provides remanufacturing as part of their products and services: Renewable Parts.

Purchasing remanufactured goods can:

• cost you less than an entirely new product
• enhance your environmental performance by supporting the growing remanufacturing market.

What you must do

• If the products that you are remanufacturing have been discarded and are waste, then you must ensure that you comply with your duty of care. You may need a waste management licence, or to register an exemption from waste management licensing.
• Make sure you comply with any relevant health and safety regulations - in particular, check with the Health and Safety Executive if you remanufacture machinery.
• Check our pages to ensure you comply with all relevant environmental regulations.

What you can do

As a manufacturer you can:

• design products that can be disassembled easily
• develop a mechanism to incentivise the return of used products
• develop a business model for leasing products.

As a consumer you can:

• include in your procurement policy the requirement to preferentially purchase remanufactured products
• consider leasing products instead of purchasing them.

Further information

• NIBusinessInfo: What is remanufacturing?
• Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing
• Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service

In this Guideline

What is a circular economy?

Using fewer resources

Managing your waste for a circular economy - recycling and beyond

Designing your product, service or business model for a circular economy

Reuse

Repairing goods

Remanufacturing and refurbishing

Recycling

Protecting biodiversity and regenerating natural systems