The Recycler staff training

March 28, 2012

The office will be closed on 29-30 March, and there will be no daily newsletter sent on 30 March and 2 April.

The Recycler office will be closed as of 29-30 March, with staff training being conducted for that period. As such, there will be no newsletter on 30 March and 2 April.

Spare a moment as our staff traverse the nuclear assault course and we will be back to business on 2 April.

Categories : Davids Blog

Revenge of the Beast

March 6, 2012

Today was a special day for The Recycler. The Beast, that ubiquitous machine that has haunted our every moment for the last few years, was finally collected today. It took nearly two hours to move the eight hundred plus kilo monstrosity from its first floor home into the car park and off to the printer equivalent of Hell.

But defiant to the end, the Beast conspired to wait until I was in Dubai before going, robbing me of the chance to rejoice at his departure and to take the appropriate pictures.

You will be pleased to know that we are now actively recruiting for a replacement for the Beast and we will keep you updated on our progress.

Categories : Davids Blog

Tags : HP OEM Technology

The sun is shining here in Dubai

March 5, 2012

We have arrived in Dubai and the sun is shining.  We are staying at the Novotel, just next door to the World Trade Centre and the Remanexpo/Paperworld Middle East show which begins tomorrow.

There is something rather comforting about being sat outside watching everyone busily prepare for the show while I read the papers, check my emails and drink my coffee…

We are here until Friday and will be in the show each day and visiting different remanufacturers each afternoon and dinner with customers each evening and suddenly the whole week is gone.

Dubai is the regional business hub where everyone comes to trade and do business and it is an ideal location to meet regional players who are doing well in the market and get to understand how well the office supplies market is developing and how Dubai is really taking on board the environmental issues and addressing reuse and remanufacturing.

We are off for dinner now, but look out for more posts from the show.

Categories : Davids Blog

Tags : David Connett Paperworld Middle East Remanexpo

Why remanufacturing is important

February 29, 2012

Crude oil hit a nine-month high on 24 February, breaking through $125 (€92.83) a barrel. Although this is lower than its 2008 value of $149 (€110.65), in both Pound Sterling and Euro it is now higher. Oil prices are up around 14 percent since the start of the year.

Prices are high because of concerns over Iran, the world’s third largest exporter, and the supply through the Straits of Hormuz, a 30-kilometre channel through which a third of all the world’s oil supply passes through.

But according to Liam Halligan of the Daily Telegraph, “in 2001, the world consumed 76.6m barrels of oil a day. Last year, just a decade on, global oil use was a hefty 89.1m barrels daily, 16 percent higher. In 2011, the world economy was sluggish, with global GDP growth of 3.8 percent, down from 5.2 percent the year before. Yet world oil use still rose almost one percent in 2011, with crude averaging $111 (€82.45) a barrel, more than 40 percent up on 2010”.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), crude demand is “declining remorselessly throughout the OECD [countries]”, and are therefore consuming less, with OECD oil use falling just 0.9 percent in 2012. Where as in the emerging markets, demand is forecast to rise by 2.8 percent, giving a rise in crude demand of about one percent.

If you have read this far, you are doing well. But this is why remanufacturing is so important to everyone.

While the oil focus is on politics, daily demand and the price of a barrel of oil, the real issue is overlooked. For the last 50 years, the discovery of new oil fields has declined and, according to Halligan, “more than four-fifths of the world’s major fields are beyond peak production. The output of the world’s largest 580 oil fields is declining at a 5.1 percent annual average”. So during an economic downturn, the use of oil is increasing against a background of reducing supply and refining capacity.

Wherever the new oil comes from, be it the artic extremes or the bottom of the oceans, it will be expensive. Even when you have found the oil there is a lack of refining capacity, so the oil we have is precious and every four or five litres used to make a cartridge is prized and not to be wasted. Every new cartridge, whether it is an OEM or clone, wastes four to five litres of oil.

Or put it another way: every cartridge that is remanufactured saves four to five litres of oil. Every 50 cartridges save about a barrel of oil.

Categories : Davids Blog

Tags : David Connett Market Data Remanufacturing

All packed and ready to go

February 27, 2012

My feet have hardly recovered from Frankfurt, but the washing is done, my shirts are pressed and I am packed (Stef is NOT)and ready for Remanexpo/Paperworld Middle East in Dubai next week and we have even got a good deal on flights and hotel on Expedia.  This second show in Dubai is an extension of our Frankfurt event and is very much an incubator event that reflects the market conitions of today. But the regional economy will grow as the region stabalises and grows and there are real opportunities in the region. . Certainly there is a lot of visitor interest and I have as many meetings in Dubai as I did in Frankfurt and I am meeting with companines from North Africa, Nigeria, India, Pakistan  the Middle East and China who are all looking for opportunties in the region.

Beyond the designer outlets you can wander around the shops and you will find well equiped refill shops in all sorts of places and they are doing good business. Step inside and you will find the latest refill technology being used to good effect. The business owners, like everyone else in the industry, are always happy to take time over a cup of tea to talk about the market and their refill problems. Which of course are similar to everyone elses problems. And, like farmers, everything could be better. Then you see the new BMW parked outside the shop and they tell you that they were in Frankfurt last month, or they are planning a trip to … so business is pretty good.

If you would like to meet up in Dubai please drop me an email

Categories : Davids Blog Events

Remanexpo – The calm before the storm…

January 27, 2012

With less than twenty-four hours to go before the show opens there is the usual buzz around the hall. The stand builders who have had the hall to themselves for a week suddenly start to share it with the exhibitors who are anxious to dress their booths and head back to their hotels before the doors open tomorrow.

You know that exhibition veterans Per-Fil Industries have taken the red-eye arriving in Frankfurt for breakfast. Horst and JP look rather pleased with themselves as their booth is build and their filling machine has arrived on the booth, so they can slip away to their hotel and catch up on their sleep…

Colin Davidson and Carly Yeung of Triton Precision were there early starting to dress their booth and the every organised OCP booth was complete and just waiting for the refreshments to be delivered.

 

Dematec GmbH were on site early supervising the building of their booth and by the time I slipped away for my first meeting the queue for the coffee was starting to grow.

Meanwhile the other booths were well in hand, even the exhibitor that order two booths to be build on the same space…

Categories : Davids Blog Events

Tags : Remanexpo

On my way to the fair

January 27, 2012

Or “we are only human”. Despite the technology, the months of planning the human intervenes to create chaos where order existed.

There we were driving down the autobahn towards Frankfurt feeling very pleased that everything was under control, when I realised I had left a suitcase behind. Not just a suitcase, but Stefanies suitcase. Decisions, press on to Frankfurt to secure out car park space under cover within the fair ground and let Stefanie go shopping for a new wardrobe, or turn back and get the suitcase, but in the sure knowledge the car would be out in the cold and snow for the duration.

I leave you to guess what I did, suffice to say it snowed lightly last night and the car is covered…

See you in Frankfurt.

Categories : Davids Blog

Tags : Remanexpo

The Recycler casting call

January 9, 2012

Alas, The Recycler regrets to inform you that however photogenic – and willing – the aftermarket may be, profile pictures may not be required. However, following the success and popularity of mini-features Pelikan International to dispose of Pelikan Australia by sale and leaseback, The $633 million Chrismas bonus and The Opportunity in high speed colour inkjet, as contributed by InfoTrend’s Ralf Schlözer, The Recycler is currently taking considerations and input for future mini-features.

We are currently accepting contributions on any relevant topic, although placement may be dictated by issue subjects and recent news.

If you are interested, please send all queries and submissions to news@therecycler.com. All photo portfolios requested in mono and full colour spread.

Categories : Davids Blog

Newsletter issues resolved

December 15, 2011

The Recycler is very pleased to be able to report that our previous issues involving our newsletters have finally been resolved. We would like to thank everyone for their patience, and to inform everyone that normal business will resume in the immediate future.

In addition to our recent office change, you can also look forward to more developments and announcements from The Recycler in early 2012.

Categories : Davids Blog

Current newsletter issues

December 13, 2011

Following The Recycler’s recent renovations, including a new office, IT infrastructure and new printer, we are currently enjoying the benefits of fibre-optic internet speed, natural light and – for pop-culture buffs – a CTU ringtone for internal calls.

Unfortunately we are experiencing issues with our newsletter service, and would like to inform our readers that newsletters will not be sent until the issue has been rectified. Normal service is expected to resume shortly.

The Recycler will also be experimenting with changes within our editorial team and in the future will be publishing a mini-feature on 3D printing: the possibilities and potential for the aftermarket. If you would like to contribute, please leave a comment below or email news@therecycler.com.

Categories : Davids Blog