What is a core?
A core is a used original part (OEM used part) that serves as raw material for industrial remanufacturing. The term comes from the US reman market, where the used part forms the “core” of the exchange part.
Not every used part is a core. What matters is whether the part can reach original-equipment quality again after disassembly, cleaning, inspection and replacement of wear parts. A turbocharger with a cracked housing is scrap; a turbocharger with worn bearings is a core.
Remanufacturing, repair, used part: the difference
| Remanufacturing | Repair / overhaul | Used part | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | Full disassembly, all wear parts new, tested to OE specification | Only the defect is fixed | No processing |
| Quality | Like new, with warranty | Depends on the workshop | Unknown, remaining life uncertain |
| Price | Typically 60–80% of the new part | Variable | Low |
| Source | Industrial remanufacturer | Workshop | Dismantler |
The figure of 60–80% of the new-part price comes from studies by the European Remanufacturing Network (ERN) and describes the typical market price of a reman part.
How core deposits and returns work
When buying an exchange part, the workshop pays a deposit. If it returns the removed used part, the deposit is refunded. That is how cores come back into the loop. The problem: every manufacturer has its own return conditions, deadlines and rejection reasons. Parts that do not fit the deposit system stay on the shelf.
This is exactly where a core broker works: it buys used parts independently of the deposit system, sorts them by part number and delivers them to the remanufacturer that actually needs them.
What a core broker does
Capture remanufacturers' demand: which part numbers, variants, quantities
Source used parts on the market: workshops, parts dealers, wholesalers, dismantlers, fleets
Identify: OE number, manufacturer, design variant, model year
Inspect: completeness, housing, signs of disassembly
Store and plan stock before demand arises
Deliver: sorted by type, packed, aligned with the customer's production
The Rematec article “Core competency” (Rematec, 2019) sums it up: without cores there is no remanufacturing. According to an ERN survey in 38 countries, the supply of suitable used parts is the biggest obstacle to growth in the European reman market.
How to recognise a usable used part
Cars, trucks, LCVs: differences in the core trade
Passenger-car cores are the volume business with many variants per model. Truck and bus parts (steering boxes, clutches, turbochargers) are heavier, more expensive and in particular demand because of high mileages. Light commercial vehicles (vans) sit in between and share many components with car platforms.
What remanufacturing means for the environment
In remanufacturing, most of the material and the energy already invested stays in the product. No new housings need to be cast, no shafts forged and no raw materials mined. That significantly lowers energy consumption, CO₂ and SO₂ emissions compared with new production. Specific saving rates depend on the component which is why we do not quote a blanket percentage.
