Destination is actually Sterling Bank Plc located at the tail-end of arguably one of the longest streets in Lagos; Kirikiri Road, a long dingy road in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government spiraling all the way from Mobil road end of Bale Street in Ajegunle right down to the Mile 2-Oshodi Expressway Road. Everywhere is quite busy and there seem to be an endless stream of people moving in and about the whole place. You thought to yourself; perhaps driving all the way to the bank may not be the best bet considering the limited parking space. So you decide to park a couple of buildings away close to an intersection that leads into what looks like a garage. Mistake No 1!

In between the time it takes you to switch off your engine and make necessary moves to get out of the car, you lift your face in the direction of the door and what do you behold? A dozen plus eager faces of young boys whose ages would most likely fall between 13-30years pitching their wares and using all manner of gesticulations interspersed with the familiar lingua franca otherwise referred to as ‘broken English’ all geared towards winning your patronage! Now you are wondering; how does this reconcile with your original intent for coming to this neighbourhood?

For the JJC and the ‘uninitiated’, it could paint a scary picture. But to the patrons, it’s the kind of routine ‘welcome’ that greets you everytime you make a foray into that enclave. THIS IS BERGER SUYA; The home of heavy duty truck parts and accessories! The offering is as varied as the different categories of people you meet in the market. Depending on your budget and need, you have the opportunity of choosing between Used and New spare parts. But mind you, the category of ‘Original New Parts’ that you get would probably depend on your experience and expertise at telling the difference between ‘fake’ (sub-standard) and Original Spare Parts. This in fact explains why most buyers either have established relationship with ‘trusted’ reputable outlets or bring along their trained auto-mechanics who has a deep knowledge of what to look for in a high quality new or used part. Attempting to buy spare parts independently without critical insights can turn out to be a regrettable venture.

The popularity of Berger Suya as the destination of choice whenever you are considering the procurement of needed spares for your fleet extends beyond the geographical limits of its host-state, Lagos to as far as the eastern and northern states of the federation. Anybody that is somebody in the management of fleet of trucks probably at some point in time must have visited Berger Suya.

In the face of very steep prices for confirmed authentic spares from the country reps or Sales agent of the popular brands of trucks on our roads and the non-availability, on most occasions, of critical parts, Berger Suya has always been up to the task in coming to the rescue. Such complex spares like a complete transmission system, turbo chargers, fuel pump, Electronic or Engine Control Unit (brain boxes) and so on are routinely traded in the market. Compared to similar places like ‘Kara’ in Shagamu, Aspmda in Trade Fair Complex or ‘Kontagora’ along Agege-Ifo Road, Berger Suya remains tops!

However, a deeply experienced Fleet Manager or business owner would probably tell you that some occasions really does exist where the best of Berger Suya could not provide the needed succor. In your desperation, you are probably ‘forced’ albeit reluctantly to make your way to the country rep office of the truck manufacturer to enquire about the availability of the needed part. Don’t be too surprised when you are told that the next spares shipment (in which they can probably make a provision for yours to be included) would not be setting sail until the next six months! A couple of haulers that have had not too pleasant experiences like this will tell you of how they have had to go as far as Germany or the US, the very home of the Original Vehicle Manufacturer to directly procure these spare parts!

This brings us to the focal point of our presentation today: Remanufactured Spare Parts otherwise called ‘Reman’!

You will probably cover some distance in the haulage services sector before you can come across a couple of people that have heard or have a clear-cut understanding of the word ‘Reman’. In this part of the world, Reman is obviously not a choice that many have explored. This paper will seek to answer the following questions:

What is Reman or Remanufactured Spare Parts?

What is the difference between Reman and Used spares?

What is the difference between Reman and Original Spare Parts from the truck manufacturer?

Where do you buy Reman?

What are the pro and cons of buying Reman?

 

WHAT IS REMAN?

Remanufacturing consists of an industrial process through which worn-out or discarded products are restored to its new state in a factory environment. It comprises of a series of industrially-monitored processes in which the discarded part is disassembled, spoilt or obsolete parts repaired or replaced, whole component serviced and refurbished and whole new product reassembled from the old parts to produce a unit equivalent in performance and expected lifetime to the brand new original part.

Wikipedia described it as the process of disassembly and recovery at the module level and, eventually, at the component level and requiring the repair or replacement of worn out or obsolete components and modules. In essence, the minimum benchmark for assessing remanufactured spare parts is that it should match same customer expectation as new machines. In some cases, remanufactured parts are completely disassembled, cleaned, rebuilt to oftentimes better than factory specifications, and fully tested to make certain they will perform like new, or better.

What Reman is NOT

Reman must not be confused with Reuse parts which imply that the spares are just turned over to a second user without any definite prior repair taking place.

It should also not be mixed up with Refurbished Spares. Refurbished/Reconditioned parts are products of a process that will sometimes include rust
removal and replacement of failed components. However, these parts do not normally include full disassembly testing or replacement of wearing items. The parts being replaced are inconsistent, and only quick functional tests are performed. The longevity of these parts therefore cannot be guaranteed.

Furthermore, it should not be seen as Repaired parts which actually refer to worn part which has been made operational again by only replacing the failed component part when necessary. Other components are not inspected
or tested therefore reliability and durability of the part cannot be determined.

Finally, Reman is not same as Recycled parts which on the other hand are previously used or salvage parts that are still in an acceptable condition for use but there is no guarantee on
how well they will work or for how long.

In another clime, remanufactured spare parts are also referred to as Rebuilt spares. Hence whenever you hear of Reman or Rebuild spares, know for sure that they are probably referring to the same class of spares.

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