Jordens resurser konsumeras linjärt och ohållbart, trots att de är begränsade. Produkter produceras, används och kasseras i en hög takt. Det nuvarande förhållningssättet till jordens resurser är inte resurseffektivt och är följaktligen ett oroande problem för jordens framtid. När befolkningen växer och medelklassen på tillväxtmarknader blir större möts vi av en ökning av råvarornas pris och prisvariation. Detta innebär att vi borde överväga andra sätt att konsumera och tillverka för att bibehålla vår levnadsstandard. Om vi inte tillsätter några åtgärder skulle det år 2050 krävas en dubblering av jordens storlek och därmed resurser för att möjliggöra hantering av dagens konsumtionsnivåer. Detta är ett oroväckande faktum som kräver en förändring av vårt levnadssätt. EU satsar mycket forskning inom området för att skapa denna förändring. Vitvarubranschen är en del av problemet som beskrivs ovan. Priserna blir allt lägre och en konsekvens av detta blir ofta att kvaliteten på komponenterna blir bristande. Detta i kombination med höga priser för reparation och service, leder till kortare livslängd för vitvarorna. Resurseffektiviteten är därmed låg och en förändring krävs i hur vitvaror konsumeras. Cirkulär ekonomi är ett nytt sätt att tänka kring tillgängliga resurser. Nyckeln är att säkerställa att jordens tillgängliga resurser används på ett mer hållbart sätt i cykler. Genom att utforma och utveckla produkter för att hålla i flera cykler, modularisera och introducera nya affärsmodeller, kan produkterna hålla längre och vara mer resurseffektiva. Cirkulär ekonomi har studerats i olika fallstudier och samlats i en stor rapport av Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Rapporten visar lovande resultat för olika fall, inklusive leasing kombinerat med återtillverkning av tvättmaskiner. ResCoM är ett EU-projekt ämnat att skapa ett ramverk för implementation av cirkulär ekonomi som testas i fyra olika fallstudier, varav ett är med vitvarutillverkaren Gorenje. Genom cirkulär ekonomi kan ekonomisk lönsamhet uppnås, både för tillverkare och kunder, samtidigt som man får en lägre resursförbrukning. Denna rapport består av en litteraturstudie av cirkulär ekonomi och dess cykler applicerade på vitvarubranschen, en konsumentundersökning och intervjuer. Konsumentundersökningen visar på ett stort intresse för leasing av vitvaror. Intervjuerna gav en djupare insyn i varför förändring kan vara utmanande att genomföra för marknadsledande företag. Resultatet av vårt arbete visar, trots utmaningar, att vitvarubranschen har potential att gå över till ett cirkulärt system. Med denna studies framtagna affärsmodell i tre steg blir förändringen mindre radikal genom att utnyttja befintlig infrastruktur för logistik och försäljning. Ett framgångsrikt första steg visar branschen att det finns lönsamhet i affärsmodellen. Av detta skäl kommer andra tillverkare att intressera sig för att använda en liknande affärsmodell och tillsammans kan de staka ut vägen för en förändring mot en hållbar framtid. / The natural resources of our earth are consumed in a linear and unsustainable way, although they are limited. The current consumption model is not resource efficient and therefore a problem for the future of our earth. As the global population grows and the middle class of emerging markets gets bigger we are facing an increase in the price and volatility of raw materials. This means we should consider other ways of manufacturing and consuming in order to keep our living standard. If no actions are taken, we would need a planet twice as big in the year 2050 to cope with today’s way of consuming. This is an alarming fact that the European Union is putting a lot of effort into research on how to tackle. The home appliance industry is a part of this problem, the prices are getting lower and consequently, the quality of the components used in the appliances as well. This, combined with high prices for repair and service, leads to shorter life cycles for the appliances. Hence, the resource utilization is low and a change in the way we consume our appliances is needed. Circular economy is a new way of thinking considering the resources that are available. The key is to make sure that we are using the resources available in the most sustainable way in circular supply chains. By designing out waste, making modular products and introducing new business models, the products can have a longer and more resource efficient life cycle. The concept has been applied in different case studies and gathered in an extensive report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The report shows promising results for various cases including leasing combined with remanufacturing or refurbishment of washing machines. ResCoM is a project co-sponsored by the European Union intended to create a framework for implementation of circular economy which is tested in four industrial cases, one of them being the home appliance manufacturer Gorenje. Economic profit for both the manufacturer and the customer is obtainable, as well as a higher level of resource efficiency. This report includes a study of the literature of circular economy and its different cycles applicable to the home appliance industry, as well as a market survey and interviews. The survey shows that many people are interested in leasing and the interviews provide more insight on why the change is challenging to make for the big companies that lead the industry. The results of our report show that the home appliance industry has potential to successfully implement a circular system. Using our business model to make the transition in three steps the current infrastructure of logistics and sales will make the change less radical. The first stage will be crucial for the success of the implementation. A successful first stage will show the industry that it is a profitable business model and other manufacturers will become interested in implementing a similar model, which enables the change for a more sustainable future.

The society today lives on the philosophy of ‘take-make-use-dispose.’ In the long run, this is not sustainable as the natural resources and the waste carrying capacity of the earth are limited. Therefore, it is essential to reduce dependency on the natural resources by decoupling the growth from the consumption. In this venture, both the society and the manufacturing industry have a vital role to play. The society needs to shift towards Circular Economy that rests upon the philosophy of ‘take-make-use-reuse’ and the manufacturing industry has to be a major stakeholder in this shift. Despite being proven to be both economically and environmentally beneficial, successful examples of circular systems are few today. This is primarily due to two reasons; firstly, there is a lack of systemic and systematic approach to guide industries and secondly, there is a lack of analysis methods and tools that are capable of assessing different aspects of circular manufacturing systems. Taking on to these challenges, the objective of this research is to bring forward a framework with methods and decision support tools that are essential to implement circular manufacturing systems. The initial conceptual framework with the systemic approach is developed based on extensive review and analysis of research, which is further adapted for industrial implementation. Systematic analysis methods, decision support and implementation tools are developed to facilitate this adaptation. This development has been supported by four cases from diverse manufacturing sectors. Behind each decision support tool, there are analysis methods built upon mainly system dynamics principles. These tools are based on simulation platforms called Stella and Anylogic. Among other things, these tools are capable of assessing the performance of closed-loop supply chains, consequences of resource scarcity, potential gains from resource conservation and overall economic and environmental performance of circular manufacturing systems. / <p>QC 20170522</p> / ResCoM: Resource Conservative Manufacturing- transforming waste into high value resource through closed-loop product systems

Manufacturing industry is under permanent pressure to maintain its economic growth and profitability as strong societal backbone. At the same time pressures of waste generation and resource consumption are increasing as result of manufacturing operations. Since manufacturing industry is one of the major consumers of natural resources it is therefore essential to reduce dependency on natural resources by decoupling economic growth from consumption. Resource efficiency approaches can improve the performance of production systems by reducing resource losses. However, the fundamental assumption at the basis of resource efficiency approaches is that resources are available infinitely. As a consequence, challenges of sustainability and resource scarcity remain inadequately addressed. The objective of this research is to develop analysis methods and decision support tools for manufacturing industry to facilitate its transition from linear production systems to circular manufacturing systems, which are economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The initial scope of study focuses on industrial resource efficiency assessment in production systems. Expanding the view to a manufacturing system perspective, the current research is explored with regard to circular manufacturing systems in the context of economic benefits, resource scarcity and waste generation. Systematic analysis methods and decision support tools are developed for industrial companies to facilitate the adaption of circular manufacturing systems. These developments are supported by industrial case studies. The analysis methods are to the largest extent based on agent-based simulation approaches. The tools are capable of assessing the economic and environmental impact of different business models, design strategies as well as supply chains settings. Moreover, the tools are able to determine whether introductions of new (circular) business models will be adopted by customers. One empirical market study is performed to investigate value propositions of a circular business approaches based on customer decisions. / <p>QC 20170825</p>