- This topic has 14 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 21 years, 6 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Hi Everyone:
I was reading the article on the EU directives regarding the disposal of electrical/electronic equipment. (Not yet implemented in the UK) and it made me wonder whether this directive could be a boon to the repair industry as a whole.
The cost to the manufactures is set to be huge in regard to redesign and disposal of old units I know the shops that sell the items are going to have to arrange for disposal as well but in the end it will all come back to the manufacturer we could therefore see an improvement in quality and a big reduction in spares pricing possibly even subsidised repairing just to keep the units from being dumped and give the manufacturer less headaches initially.
I suppose this is an optimistic view but what do you think
Re: An optimistic view!
RS wrote:I suppose this is an optimistic view but what do you think
I sincerley hope you’re right and I’ve been thinking along the same lines to an extent.
We’ll have to wait and see I think, the knock on effect will not hit the shop floors for a few months I doubt, so it may well be 12 months before we see any impact on service, but you live in hope eh 😉
Dave.
Re: An optimistic view!
It would make sense that the companies who have been forming alliances to deal with this directive, have already thought it through.
So, we may find that such a company will offer a manufacturer a one stop shop for the diposal of all the returning appliances. For instance if a manufacturer has sales of 1 million appliances per year it may have to contribute £30.00 per appliance into a scheme which will pay the alliance to dispose of the manufacturers returns. Therefore mrs bloggs phones a national number and discloses the manufacturer to the operator who selects the correct scheme, they then handle the collection and transportation to a recycle centre, neat and tidy.
There are approx 1.4 million washers sold in the uk per year, the greater proportion being new for old, with 1st time purchase generating no returns.
So without doubt prices will rise to cover disposal and I dont think £30.00 to £40.00 is far off. The UK government actually missed the starting date and I think incurred a fine from the eu as a penalty.
There is no clear indication yet as to who is responsible for the disposal, the manufacturer for its whole life or the insurance company after the 12 month warrenty period.
You can bet your last penny that the waste license will cost a packet for anyone thinking they might get involved in the transporation of scrap….they can get 144 washers on a trailer but can’t drive it around housing estates doing single pick ups.food for thought.
kevin
Re: An optimistic view!
Very good points, but it may be that if we take it as a whole i.e. washers, tumble dryers, dishwashers, freezers, ovens, hobs and Uncle Tom Cobley and all it is going to be one hell of a head ache for the manufactures. I respect the figures that you quote but do these figures include the above items? I have seen some of the setups for recycling appliances and I am not sure that they would be able to cope with amounts that you are quoting.
I am hopeful that the manufactures will go down the line of trying to keep things working longer and possibly start the decline of the throw away society, it would also appease the eco-warriors out there. Just imagine a service motor for £20! Ok so your imaginations not that good but you can see where I’m going (Ha Ha).
As for putting the prices up, now that may cause a bit of upset if they can’t improve the quality and lifespan of an appliance
Richard S
🙄If the appliances last longer, production output will drop. People will start to get laid off, factories will begin to run at below maximum efficiency, unit cost will rise again ……….
I can just see Merloni buying into that one!
Still – You’ve got to have a dream, if you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true!
BTW RS, if you’re thinking of Battles as a recycling plant, please don’t! It really isn’t what the legislation has in mind.
Regards,
Chris.Re: An optimistic view!
Ah! I got you there Mr Penguin Sir, yes the production will reduce but due to the demand for repairs to keep the old cronks going we will need new blood in the repairs side of things running round fitting the £20 motors and £5 modules. Yes!!!! I have a dream, I’ve been to the mountain top.
Got to lay down for awhile
By the way is that from Oklahoma?
Richard Scanlon Snr
😯Re: An optimistic view!
I do know that there is a machine of enormous proportions that you throw a washer in and it spews out into the correct recycle bin the rubber, the plastis the ferous etc etc. Cleanaway have such a machine God knows what it must have cost???
The point being, that for them to invest into this venture they have already done the plans. There will also be a spin into the refurbishment market as I understand that 4{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of the scrap should be “refurbished”. This entails appliances being graded, inspected by a person and singled out for scrap or refurb…. and this is where there might be an opening for someone in our line of work. Of course its essentially what used to be known as peace work,i.e. how many an hour ect. Do you need to unload a trailor to pass them away as scrap ???
Just a few thoughts
kevin
Come on Richard, Merloni ain’t going retrain lots of Italians and send them over here to repair the rubbish they’ve built in the first place. Get them to operate a dedicated recycling plant maybe, I CAN see that!!
South Pacific I think.
Chris.
Re: An optimistic view!
See your point Kevin, but I still am of the opinion that the greens will want more out of this than recycled stuff I think their aim is to end the throw away society and make things last longer thus causing less pollution, they don’t care about jobs just the planet.
In the end, as I understand it the cost will have to be borne by the manufactures so it will be interesting to see how things turn out
Are you sure it was south pacific?
Richard Scanlon Snr
😯Re: An optimistic view!
What the WEEE Directive will do is impact upon retail pricing, to what extent remains to be seen and also what cunning plans are laid to combat that cost. I should think that almost every manufacturer is now looking towards some form of disposal that is cost effective.
I seem to remember that local councils also have an obligation to remove a certain amount of waste product from a property, but there are limits in a calendar year, bear that in mind as that may be an escape in some regards. However the legislation will not be finalised until January 2005 and I’m hoping to have someone at the UKW meeting in February to talk us through the implications of it for us as repairers and retailers.
And I gave up on the quote as Martin Luthor King used that phrase in his famous “I have a dream” address in Memphis, 1968. I knew I’d seen it before as well, on a wall outside the hotel where he was shot and not in a stage production. 😉
K.
See your point K but I’m sure the directive placed the responsibility squarely on the manufactures, so the councils will either stop collecting these items or will be looking to recover the cost of the service from them.
I will admit to having approached this from the information gained on the electronics side but I assume that the directive will be the same for all appliances, I may well be wrong (and I’m sure you will all correct me if I am). I still think that there will be some benefit for us in terms of reduced cost in parts and incentives to keep things going
I know that the other side is the customer’s perception of their machine and the idea of replacing rather than repairing but I myself will keep an optimistic outlook till it all goes pear shaped.
The truth is out there!!!!!
Richard Scanlon Snr
Re: An optimistic view!
Na Richard, it’s the same but the actual legislation doesn’t actually get finalised until January IIRC so there’s still some dubiety over certain areas.
You’re right, I think the councils will try to charge the manufacturers and what a joy that will be for them proving the figures. I can see the flames of administrative hell licking the boots of all involved. 😉
However, knowing manufacturers Richard, if anything they’ll put the prices of spares up still further in an attempt to cover/recover some of the cost. Any downward movement on spares you can forget, just look at Distripart, two massive increases this year already and putting the increase on the back end is far more appealing to the sales team that call the shots in the end.
Cynical, me, na. 😉
K.
Ok I surrender, I will bow to all your superior knowledge, now the glass is half empty. I will become lost in the depths of despair and pessimism “death where is thy sting”
BAA Humbug
Richard Scanlon SnrIt’s not superior knowledge, just graduation from The Advanced Academy Of Hard Knocks… with honours! 😆
K.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.