Economic Circularity

The construction sector is facing significant challenges due to increasingly strict landfill regulations, which are progressively banning the disposal of various building materials. A modular drywall system was developed to enable the easy recovery and reuse of building components and materials. However, the core challenge remains: ensuring that these modular systems are actually returned and reused at the end of their lifecycle, despite the high costs and uncertainties associated with dismantling, refurbishing, and clarifying ownership of the materials.

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Approach:

• Product Redesign: The drywall system was re-engineered to facilitate easy disassembly, allowing for efficient material separation and recovery. This redesign ensured that components could be reused or recycled at the end of their life.
• Reverse Logistics Development: A comprehensive reverse logistics system was established to manage the return and recovery of used drywall components, ensuring that materials could be collected, transported, and processed for reuse or recycling.
• Business Model Adaptation: New business models were developed to create incentives for the return of modular drywall systems. This included establishing partnerships with stakeholders across the value chain and creating economic incentives for customers to return materials, thus overcoming the barriers related to dismantling, refurbishing, and ownership clarification.

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Automotive glass manufacturer faced significant challenges in managing the end-of-life phase of their products. The main issues included the difficulty in collecting and transporting used auto glass, a lack of adequate recycling infrastructure, and limited traceability across the supply chain. These challenges were compounded by the absence of standardized return logistics, making it difficult to ensure that the glass is properly recycled, especially when products are exported outside of Europe.

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Approach:

• Value Chain Analysis: Conducted an in-depth analysis of the auto glazing supply chain to identify inefficiencies in the collection, transportation, and recycling of end-of-life windshields. This included a focus on improving traceability and transparency across the entire supply chain.
• Technology Scouting: Identified and assessed innovative recycling technologies that could effectively separate and recycle the composite materials found in windshields, such as glass and PVB film.
• Business Model Innovation: We conducted a thorough analysis of existing business models within the automotive industry and beyond, examining how other sectors handle the recovery and recycling of end-of-life products. This analysis provided valuable insights into best practices and innovative approaches that could be adapted for the automotive glass industry.

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