Contact person
Jonas Norén
Marknadschef
Contact JonasRemanufacturing, reuse and repair in the manufacturing industry
High material costs, uncertain supply chains and tightening EU requirements are changing the rules of the game for the manufacturing industry. The Ecodesign Regulation is already in force, and the Circular Economy Act will tighten requirements further. Companies that act now gain a head start and those that wait, risk being forced to adapt under time pressure and at greater cost.
Remanufacturing, reuse and repair not only reduce costs and environmental impact, they are also strategies that create conditions for new business models, more resilient production and a stronger market position.
We help you identify where the potential lies and help you take solutions all the way to something that actually works in practice.
How we can help
We work with you throughout the entire journey, from initial analysis to a verified process ready for scaling.
1. Identify the potential
Not all products or components are suited for remanufacturing, reuse or repair. We help you analyse your product portfolio, value chains and business model to find where the business case actually exists — and give you a concrete roadmap for what to do and in what order. As part of that work, we also assess remanufacturing's potential to reduce your carbon footprint and strengthen your resilience.
2. Design for multiple life cycles
Working with remanufacturing at scale starts with the right design decisions: material selection, construction and disassembly. We help you build in the right conditions from the start, or adapt existing products and processes. This can include hands-on disassembly activities with experts in remanufacturing and various techniques — for learning and innovation across design, product and process.
3. From pilot to production
In our lab and pilot environments, you can verify solutions in practice before scaling up — without disrupting your existing production. We also support the practical development of pilot products and business models, including financial evaluation, so you have a fact-based foundation before committing to scale-up.
Within our Application Centre for Additive Manufacturing, you can use techniques such as Directed Energy Deposition (DED) for the repair and rebuilding of worn or damaged components. We also offer non-destructive testing (NDT) to verify the quality of repaired and remanufactured parts.
4. Test and verify
We ensure your solutions meet requirements for performance, quality and regulation. As part of the verification process, we conduct studies of appropriate methods for assessing the "state of health" of selected products and components — an important foundation for ensuring quality in the remanufacturing process.
We also explore the opportunities that digitalisation offers for streamlining your remanufacturing processes, and develop guidance tailored to your business — with the aim of building knowledge and sharing it broadly across your organisation and sector.
How others have started
Most begin with the strategy phase to understand where the potential lies and whether it is worth proceeding. Here are some examples of what that has looked like in practice.
Axkid
Child car seat manufacturer Axkid wanted to understand how reuse and remanufacturing could play a greater role in their operations, but needed a structured approach to address the longer-term questions. Together with RISE, they carried out a foresight exercise involving scenarios and environmental analysis. The result was a stronger shared knowledge base, a clearer strategic direction, and a management team with an entirely new perspective on risk and uncertainty. Read the full story.
Husqvarna Construction
Husqvarna Construction Husqvarna was facing rising material costs and uncertain supply chains. Working with RISE, they identified which components were commercially relevant for remanufacturing, and conducted pilots to confirm the business potential. Logistics, design and business models were evaluated across the entire value chain. Read the full story.
Autocirc Rematrontech
Autocirc Rematrontech specialists in the remanufacturing of automotive components since the 1970s, developed a strategic remanufacturing roadmap together with RISE. The result was a clearer picture of opportunities, shared prioritisation and new initiatives in production. Read the full story.
Skanska Rental
Construction machinery is subject to heavy wear and tear. When a machine reaches the end of its service life, it's often replaced with a new one, even though much of it could have a second life. The Skanska company Rental, which rents out machinery and equipment to construction sites across Sweden, wants to change that.
By taking part in the project Innovating Remanufacturing, which we lead together with Linköping University and SuPr, Rental is exploring how remanufacturing can make its machine fleet more resource-efficient over time. The goal is twofold: lower climate impact and more cost-effective solutions.
Rental also contributes hands-on experience – including through a workshop at the company's customer centre in Upplands Väsby, where participants met to discuss how remanufacturing can be scaled up.
"Through collaboration with other companies and experts, we can both learn from each other and contribute our own knowledge," says Elif Wahlund, Head of Climate and Sustainability at Rental.
Read more at Rental (in Swedish).
Frequently asked questions
Here we have gathered common questions from companies seeking to understand whether this is the right path for them, what it requires and how to take the next step.
How do we know whether remanufacturing is profitable for us?
It depends on the product, volume and value chain. We help you carry out that analysis before you make a decision, so that you know what is possible and what it will cost.
Do we need to be well advanced internally before getting in touch?
No. Many of the companies we speak with are at an early stage and are not entirely sure where to begin. That is precisely where we can help.
What happens if a pilot shows that remanufacturing is not profitable for us?
You will have a fact-based rationale for not proceeding — which is also valuable. It is better to know early than to invest in the wrong thing.
Can we run a pilot without disrupting our existing production?
Yes. In our laboratory and pilot environments, you can verify processes and solutions in practice before scaling up, without putting your regular operations at risk.
Get started
We have developed a process for how you can get started with remanufacturing, reuse and repair. As part of this work, we have produced a checklist to help you identify the right products, prioritise efforts and take the next step in a structured and commercially sound way.
Prefer to speak directly? Get in touch and we will arrange an initial conversation.
Contact
Need help moving forward? Feel free to contact Marketing Manager Jonas Norén, and he will guide you in the right direction. If you have questions about research projects in the area, please reach out to Emma Enebog, Project Manager at RISE.
Contact us
Would you like to learn more about how RISE can support your work with remanufacturing and repair? Fill in the form and we will contact you.
