Cores are crucial to the success of the reman industry. Dr. Daniel C. F. Koehler, chairman of APRA Europe, explains what the association is doing for companies working in this vital sector.
We all know that our remanufacturing business consists in large part of the remanufacturing process itself. However, without further crucial market players the business could not flourish. When going upstream in the supply chain of a remanufacturer, it is very clear that cores are an integral part of the process – and therefore so is the business of our core suppliers (also known as core brokers, core dealers, core experts or core specialists).
Cores are the lifeblood of remanufacturing and core suppliers must be the heart of remanufacturing that keeps the lifeblood in motion - to be consumed wherever it is needed. Core suppliers are as vital for remanufacturing business as banks are for the general enconomy. They collect money and cores, aggregate and bundle them for the customer who needs them. They keep the business running.
As APRA Europe we are representing the whole automotive remanufacturing industry. Did you know that our membership base incorporates 10% core suppliers? And did you know that this share is also reflected by the composition of the board of directors of APRA Europe? One out of 10 directors is a core supplier - Andrea Gobbi of AG Cores - which is a proof of the relevance of your business.
Support activities
There are many very good reasons for the core suppliers to take an active part part in the ‘Voice of Remanufacturing’. We undertake many activities for supporting their business.
We advocate for free trade and a reliable legal framework for the whole remanufacturing industry and particularly for core suppliers. The reason is that international trading of cores is special. They must not be classified as waste, nor hazardous waste, but as a defective product or raw material that has a high value. Therefore, with our membership base as a strong support and together with other associations, we have got to the point where the Basel Convention defines cores as non-waste. Having reached this goal, our engagement, of course, does not end. We will keep on defending the core market. Cores must remain fluid and freely tradable and for the future we even stand up for VAT exemption for the circulation of cores.
Member service
APRA also offers a unique service to members which helps source rare cores in an efficient way. The APRA Core Finder programme is an online tool which connects you quickly and easily with more than 60 leading core suppliers worldwide. How does it work? Members provide detailed information about the cores they need. We distribute this request to the participating core supplier members. Then the suppliers review the requests and directly get in contact with you in case they can supply or have a solution ready for you. Whenever you have a specific request try out the APRA Core Finder which is fast and easy to use: www.apra.org/page/CoreFinderNA
Please note that this is a ‘members only’ service. Core dealers wishing to participate in the programme and remanufacturers wishing to join the association in order to take advantage of this service, please send a message to europe@apra.org
Without cores there would not be any remanufacturing. That is why it is clear for us to advance our support to this branch so that it will remain stable even in times of heavy competition and disruptional changes.
Core suppliers, join the association and let us grow our Voice - we care about your business.
