'Collaboration between manufacturing and custom work companies for a circular future': results of the survey part 2
Sirris conducted an extensive survey among Flemish companies from May to August 2024. This provided a clear picture of their ReX activities and the specific challenges, opportunities and needs.
This second part focuses on the collaboration between custom and manufacturing companies. Custom work companies are a cost-effective solution and deliver quality work. In addition, they relieve the pressure on difficult-to-fill vacancies for operators at manufacturing companies.
Custom and manufacturing companies already frequently work together for the assembly of new products, but this is much less obvious for circular ReX projects.
Insight #1: Collaborate based on previous experiences and costs
Many participants in the survey indicate that they already work with external partners for their ReX activities, for example for logistics, supply and services. Most companies also seek advice from knowledge centres for this.
Companies that already work with custom work companies do so mainly in the area of services. Based on the current offerings of custom work companies, this usually involves sorting, cleaning, disassembling or packaging.
When we ask why they work with custom work companies, two elements stand out. On the one hand, custom work companies often already do similar work in traditional (linear/new) production. The step to ReX activities is then quickly taken. On the other hand, they also mention the lower cost price for manual labour at a custom work company.
Insight #2: Technological complexity as the biggest challenge
Approximately 35% of the manufacturing companies surveyed currently do not have a collaboration with a custom work company. Of this group, 15% do not want to consider it either. They see the complexity of the ReX activities as the biggest barrier to collaboration. This applies not only to the manufacturing companies themselves, but also to the custom work companies.
They also mention that custom work companies do not always have the knowledge or technological background to respond quickly and efficiently to ReX activities.
However, there are enough examples that prove that it is possible. For example, WAAK and Satellic work together for the refurbishment of on-board units, Vlotter assists Telenet with the refurbishment of modems and Strygoo calls on Lidwina for the repair and maintenance of rat traps.
In our next blog you can read how we can tackle the challenges and how cooperation (with custom work companies) can be used.
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