Permanent Magnets: Simplifying Reverse Logistics with Wilo

B2B Take-Back Wilo's take-back system works without contracts, deposits or payments. Instead, the company focuses on making returns as simple as possible for installers. And that works. Thomas Fetting, explains how the company collects used pumps and brings recovered components and materials back into production. What you'll hear in this episode: • How to motivate participation in take-back systems without financial incentives • How manufacturers can recover and reintegrate components and materials into production • What determines the economic viability and scalability of reverse logistics This is the third episode of the B2B Take-Back series. You can find its original recording in German on YouTube. The audio-only version has been translated to English with the use of AI. People Thomas Fetting, Group Director - Analysis at Wilo https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-fetting-7a0045118/ Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 05:44 Why pumps are suited for take-back 10:33 How used pumps reach Wilo: the installer channel 12:32 Why installers return pumps: legal compliance 17:16 Why Wilo accepts all brands: treatment certification 20:45 Why installers get no payment 22:56 Wholesalers as collection points 25:12 Dismantling pumps and reusing magnets 28:26 Recycling old magnets into powder with Heraeus 30:37 Refurbishing electronic modules, not whole pumps 34:08 Why recyclers and manufacturers must cooperate 38:02 Collection and processing costs: break-even today 43:19 Scaling take-back with strategic partners 47:29 Outro About Wilo is a German manufacturer of pumps and pump systems for buildings, water management and industrial applications. The company works on circular approaches including the take-back of used products, material recovery and the reuse of valuable resources from old equipment. Further Links https://wilo.com/de/de/ One-page Summary Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/episode/permanent-magnets-simplifying-reverse-logistics-with-wilo/