The first circular wheelchair

Designing high quality products that make it easy to contribute to circularity through refurbishment and reuse is what Etac has been doing for decades. We now take the process a step further by launching our first circular product together with Medux in the Netherlands.

Wheelchairs ready for disposal and recycling are returned to our original manufacturing site in Sweden. On site each product undergoes a thorough quality inspection. Parts are replaced and functionality is secured to re-assure the same technical life and warranty as a new product. The product is then provided with a new production serial number, and is hereby revived and ready for a new user. We call it re:vive.

This is an important step towards continued circular innovation and sets an example for future co-creation with other customers. Etac’s ambition is to inspire and enable our customers to provide end-users with products for better everyday lives. We know that resources are limited and that there are smarter ways to use them. We believe that our customers are interested in co-creating to find innovative solutions for circular cooperation. re:vive is here to create these possibilities.

What does circularity mean for Etac?
Circularity can involve every step in the product lifecycle, from use of material in original manufacturing to extending the product life and closing the loop by the end of the life through re-manufacturing and/or recycling.

Etac has for decades designed products to make it easy for customers to extend the product life through spare parts and ways of repairing, refurbishing and reusing. The re:vive project takes the process a step further by focusing on re-manufacturing of wheelchairs that would otherwise be disposed.

How does Etac co-create with Medux in the Netherlands?
We can’t do this alone. To get there, we have partnered with Medux who shares our ambition to drive circular innovation. Instead of disposing their fleet of wheelchairs at the end of the product life, Medux returns their Etac wheelchairs to our original manufacturing site in Sweden. Our collaboration has, among other development areas, also focused on establishing an efficient logistics model which is a key success factor for circularity.

What does re:vive mean?
re:vive is our concept for products that have been given a new lease on life. It means that the product is circular, has the same technical life and warranty as a new product and has been provided with a new production serial number and production date.

For more information about re:vive, please contact:
Marika.tornqvist@etac.com