Grinder shaping metal with sparks

Remanufacturing study

20 Aug 15

This report summarises the characteristics of the Scottish remanufacturing industry, including analysis of the key barriers, enablers and opportunities for the industry and provides recommendations for supporting the growth of the industry as part of the circular economy.

Circular economy activities cover the whole length of the supply chain, starting with product design, through part and product manufacture, then product use and, lastly, activities at the end of a product’s service life. In a circular economy, the maximum value from product is derived by retaining as much of the embedded material, labour, energy and capital as possible both throughout the supply chain and at the end of each service life. 

Remanufacturing is a key strategy within the circular economy. It is typically applied to complex manufactured products that possess significant embedded material, energy and labour resources, most of the value of which can be recovered by suitable remediation techniques. Often, remanufacturers take the opportunity to upgrade the products from old to current performance standards of energy efficiency or productivity. This is one way that they can be differentiated from products which have simply been repaired or undergone other end-of-life treatments.