The aim is to keep Danish manufacturing companies away from waste containers. Instead of discarding used products, more should be remanufactured to benefit both the bottom line and the green transition. This is the ambition behind the new centre, which will serve as a hub for knowledge and enterprise, supported by DKK 37 million from the Danish Industry Foundation.
"Worn parts and obsolete equipment need not become waste - they can be reborn as new products of the same or superior quality. The new competence centre will support Danish manufacturers in implementing remanufacturing systems that make sound business sense," says Professor Tim C. McAloone of DTU, who is leading the new initiative.
Remanufacturing is about preservation
Remanufacturing differs from traditional recycling in that it focuses on preserving and reusing entire products or components, not just raw materials. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, this can reduce energy consumption by up to 80%, water use by 88%, and waste volumes by 70%. Nevertheless, only a fraction of Danish industrial firms currently engage actively with this strategy.
With the establishment of Remanufactory, Denmark gains a national facility initially set to assist up to 150 companies in testing, implementing, and scaling remanufacturing. Thereafter, the centre will be permanently based at DTU, offering laboratory facilities, research-based consultancy, and collaborative projects with small and large manufacturing firms.
