Repair instead of replace

Every year, the world generates more than 50 million tonnes of electronic waste. Pressure from the environment, consumers and environmental groups makes that level of disposal unacceptable.

Many original equipment manufacturers remain committed to selling new capital equipment as often and in as large volumes as possible, but the world is changing. Equipment lifespan is being extended one way or another: either by the customer using specialized diagnostic systems and training, or by the manufacturer itself, which can offer a full maintenance, service and repair package.

Repaired equipment usually performs at least to the same standard as new units, so the traditional "just replace it" model has less and less justification.

Circuit board components can be restored, repaired and swapped for new ones. What is more, they can be tuned to better match a customer's needs or to meet higher standards.

The cost of restoring, repairing and reusing electronics can be very cost-effective - often under 15% of the cost of new equipment.

What changed in the world

The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the value of repair over replacement. Delivering new equipment takes time and often requires operator training. Equipment that is already in place and monitored by a maintenance team can be repaired on site quickly, offering more uptime and availability.

This calls for a different approach to training the next generation of specialists: demand for repair and maintenance skills keeps growing as more businesses move toward a circular economy to extend the life of their equipment.

Why this matters now

It makes sense to repair circuit boards instead of paying for spare parts that become harder to source over time. The more organizations, from industrial plants to service companies, understand the scale and value of what is lost by discarding repairable electronics, the faster "repair instead of replace" becomes the industry norm.