We are promoting the reconditioning of INCAPTO coffee machines

A new project to boost the refurbishment of INCAPTO coffee machines

inèdit will develop a repair and refurbishment methodology, as well as a repairability index, to promote the reuse of coffee machines and improve their future design. The aim is to extend the useful life of coffee machines by three to four years, reduce the carbon footprint of each machine by 20%, and prevent the generation of WEEE waste.

The coffee machine sector generates waste containing valuable materials, such as critical materials, and hazardous substances that can contaminate the environment if not managed correctly: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). One way to prevent the increase of WEEE is through the repair and refurbishment of electrical and electronic appliances. However, its application in the domestic segment is still nascent, and few manufacturers offer a comprehensive service to refurbish appliances and remarket them with quality guarantees. Now, the company INCAPTO has launched the ReCAf project, through which, with the support of inèdit, it aims to promote a refurbishment line for its super-automatic coffee machines to market them through the B2C channel.

Within the regulatory framework, Directive 2012/19/EU promotes WEEE prevention over recycling. Even so, there is still a gap in the value chain for collecting used machines, technically refurbishing them, and returning them to the market with guarantees. This is where the opportunity arises to establish business models that prioritize repair, reuse, and raw material savings.

To make this possible, the project includes:

• creating a repair and refurbishment methodology for coffee machines that ensures a high percentage of reuse,

• developing a repairability index adapted to technical and regulatory requirements that helps improve the future design of machines,

• optimizing design and logistics to minimize the consumption of new resources and the generation of waste,

• introducing systems for remote monitoring of refurbished machines to identify faults before they become critical, thus facilitating predictive repair,

• establishing alliances with spare parts suppliers, repair workshops, and recycling entities to foster a constant supply of good condition second-hand parts,

• implementing a pilot test to evaluate the technical, economic, and social viability of the project.

Incorporating a refurbishment line at INCAPTO will extend the useful life of machines by three to four years, reducing WEEE generation and associated environmental impact. It is estimated that the carbon footprint of each coffee machine will be reduced by 20%, and if refurbishment is applied to 800 coffee machines, the consumption of 5.6 tons of virgin materials annually will be avoided, as will the generation of 5.6 tons of WEEE annually.

Furthermore, in the case of INCAPTO, two new direct jobs will be created in the repair and maintenance phase, and three existing jobs linked to technical assistance tasks will be consolidated.

The project is funded by the Agència de Residus de Catalunya (ARC), within the framework of the call for aid for circular economy promotion projects 2024.