Recreate India Research Foundation

According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the Indian manufacturing industry has emerged as one of its high growth sectors and the nation is poised to become the fifth largest manufacturing country in the world by the end of 2020. In a linear economic model, this is simply unsustainable.

The solution lies in spurring the growth of the remanufacturing industry in the country. This industry, described by the European Remanufacturing Council as the "backbone of the Circular Economy", has the potential to reshape the Indian economy into a circular one. Thus, Recreate India Research Foundation is being founded with the vision "to co-create a thriving remanufacturing industry in India".

The foundation’s focus is India-centric. However, it has the potential to scale up the Indian remanufacturing industry through global partnerships and potentially impact climate change mitigation efforts, formalize the opaque informal sector in the country and accelerate environmental stewardship.

The manufacturing industry in India is projected to be the fifth largest in the world by 2020 and worth $1 trillion by 2025. However, air pollution and water pollution have reached crises levels in the country (nine out of the ten cities with the worst air quality in the world are in India). Research shows that air pollution is responsible for the loss of between 10,000 and 30,000 lives annually in Delhi alone.

The waste management, material recovery and recycling sectors are inadequate in many parts of the country and operate in the opaque ‘informal economy’. Over 377 million urban people live in 7,935 towns and cities in the country and collectively generate 62 million tons of municipal solid waste per year. Only 43 million tons of the waste is collected, 11.9 million tons is treated, and 31 million tons is dumped into landfills. 

This ineffective and inefficient trajectory of growth based on a linear economic model is simply unsustainable. A significant majority of those in the Indian manufacturing industry are largely unaware of the triple bottom line benefits of transitioning to circular economy practices and technologies and lack the requisite knowledge, research infrastructure, technology, and partnerships.

The population that will be directly impacted will be the individuals working in the manufacturing industry in India, which employs people from various socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. Small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs) make up the bulk of the industry. These firms lack the resources to invest in product, process and technology research as well as access to cutting-edge knowledge and practices. 

Indirectly, through reductions in raw material and energy use, carbons emissions, landfill waste, and the creation of new jobs, the communities that these firms and their supply chains operate in will be meaningfully impacted.

In recent months, we have met with executives from the chemical manufacturing, automotive manufacturing, and air-conditioning sectors to sensitize them on India’s sustainability challenges, explain the potential of remanufacturing and understand the gaps and challenges they are facing in transitioning to a sustainable model that is in alignment with circular economy principles. 

The most common issues we have seen are an unclear understanding and grasp of sustainability concepts i.e. ‘how it all fits together’, an inability to translate good intent and theoretical understanding to practical decisions, a reticence to leave the comfort of ‘business-as-usual’, and a short-term mindset that undervalues research, experimentation and innovation. 

We believe the solution lies in the establishment of a research, education and advocacy enterprise – Recreate India Research Foundation (Recreate India) - that catalyzes and supports the growth of the remanufacturing industry in India. Remanufacturing is a comprehensive and rigorous industrial process by which previously sold, leased, used, worn, or non-functional products are returned to a “like-new” or “better-than-new” condition, through a controlled, reproducible and sustainable process. 

Recreate India will help companies in the manufacturing industry create goods that are remanufacturable (which incorporates elements of repairability, reusability and recyclability) through: 

1. Professional education and training programs (online and in-person) designed to upskill manufacturing and operations teams with knowledge on adopting Circular Economy based product designs, and supply chain models. These will include programs on product and process design for remanufacturability, business models for remanufacturing, reverse logistics, cleaning technologies, and disassembly methods, to name a few.   
2. Applied research and technology transfer where environmentally preferable materials will be evaluated, and new designs and methods will be performance tested, keeping in mind the vision of maintaining material flows in biological and technical nutrient cycles. 

In addition, Recreate India will engage in industry and market research and will provide a real-time pulse of the industry and enable the development of a long-term strategic vision and goals. Demographics like the size and value of the industry are unknown, the state of workforce know-how and technology adoption are unknown, the business model and supply chain challenges are unclear, and the environmental impacts are not quantified. Additionally, the opportunities and barriers that may be faced by remanufactured products entering the market is not understood.

Recreate India also will actively engage in policy advocacy, business sensitization and consumer awareness campaigns to bring mainstream visibility to the value and significance of purchasing products that are in harmony with Circular Economy principles. Sustainable Public Procurement can create a powerful pull for such products, serve as a positive signal to the private sector and consumers, as well as enable companies achieve economies of scale sooner.

Lastly, in partnership with the incubation community an annual innovation competition will be held – Remagination – to catalyze innovation in this space and an annual conference – RemaCon India – will be hosted to celebrate successes, discuss challenges, create solutions & explore new opportunities.

The innovation lies in establishing a responsive and collaborative ecosystem that brings together key stakeholders and elements (industry, research, academia, innovation, incubation and policy) to enable the remanufacturing industry to manifest to its fullest potential. 

As far as we are aware, no such initiative exists in India, at least for the remanufacturing industry. Recreate India will seek to be the ‘holding space’ for the genesis and growth of the industry (across various sectors). We will start by:

• Sensitizing different industries and gathering feedback through primary research (roundtable discussions, surveys and interviews)

• Leverage the business and technological know-how (to the extent possible) developed in established industries internationally through technology transfer

• Gauge market perceptions as well as sensitize markets on the benefits of remanufactured products through social and mass media campaigns,  and

• Co-create a long-term vision and roadmap for the industry

In the early stages of operation – which will involve conducting primary research & secondary research, industry sensitization and education – the core technologies utilized will be online research databases like EBSCO, JSTOR & ScienceDirect, online survey instruments like Google & Survey Monket, and online learning and engagement platforms like Zoom & GoToMeeting.

On establishing the applied research centre, technologies like surface cleaning technology, 3D scanning technology, 3D printing technology, component restoration and rapid prototyping technology will come in to play. Material selection and evaluation software Granta Design’s CES Selector and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software like ThinkStep’s GaBi will be crucial in supporting companies to make practical decisions.

With the advent of Industry 4.0, software technologies that can analyze large volumes of data, optimize logistics and supply chains, as well as platforms that leverage the Internet-of-Things will be part of the mix in supporting the remanufacturing industry.

In recent decades, the remanufacturing industry has emerged as a powerful industry in several nations that has the potential of laying the foundation to a circular economy. Research shows that the US remanufacturing industry alone is valued at $43 billion, the EU at €30 billion and Japan at €3.8 billion

The vision of Recreate India is “to co-create a thriving remanufacturing industry in India” and we are seeking measurable outcomes across the three dimensions of sustainability – economic, environmental and social.

The desired outcomes will involve a growth in the size of the remanufacturing industry,  a decoupling of this growth from natural resource consumption and a reduction in environmental impacts, the creation of new jobs and the formalization of the parts of the economy that operate in the waste management and end-of-life (EOL) sectors. 

To get to these outcomes, industry will need 1) receptive markets, 2) training, education, and skilling, 3) access to and the ability to test new technologies and processes, and 4) a conducive policy climate (economic and regulatory).   

It is in these very areas i.e. market research, education, technology research and policy research & advocacy that Recreate India will operate.

We are currently serving no one since the company is in the incorporation process. We see the primary beneficiaries or clients to be the manufacturing and remanufacturing industry in India.

In one year, we expect to have reached 100 manufacturing companies (primarily SMEs) though our roundtables, online webinars and the annual conference.

In five years, we expect to have reached 500 manufacturing companies (primarily SMEs), through online and in-person training programs, applied research projects, consulting and technical assistance projects and annual conferences.

In addition, within the first year of operation, we will work with our stakeholders (industry, research, academia, government) to prioritize remanufacturing value chains that directly impact public health, environmental impacts, and economic needs that are in the interest of people at-large. This prioritization exercise will involve data analysis (public health, waste generation, water pollution, demographics, etc.) and consultations with stakeholders to determine a strategic vision that identifies and addresses critical needs first.

It is difficult to estimate the number of people that can be impacted based on this expected prioritization exercise. However, we see cascading impacts on business, people, environment and economy, by way of curating, stimulating, and advancing a remanufacturing-based circular economy in India.

In the next year we wish to:

• Host 10-12 webinars with global remanufacturing experts as speakers sharing information and perspective on the value of remanufacturing, technology trends, successful policy interventions and company success stories.

• Host India’s first remanufacturing industry conference, convening incumbents in the Indian remanufacturing industry, manufacturers interested in entering the industry and inviting global experts as speakers

• Publish a ‘State of the Industry Report’ with data on industry demographics, environmental impacts, technology gaps/trends, work force knowledge-level and gaps, policy climate and future potential

• Publish a ‘Roadmap for the Indian Remanufacturing Industry’ articulating a long-term vision for the industry and identifying short-, medium- and long-term goals

Within the next five years we wish to:

• Establish a state-of-the-art applied research centre

• Make measurable progress in decoupling positive economic outcomes from negative environmental impacts

• Establish product/industry standards and certifications bringing confidence around remanufactured products

• Increase the number of companies and industries that sell remanufactured products

The primary barrier in the first year is financial. The company needs to raise funds through grants and donations to accomplish its goals. It also needs to establish relationships with remanufacturing experts worldwide, and gain credibility and visibility in Indian industry.

Over the next five years, the barriers may include funding to establish and operate the applied research centre, an unconducive policy climate inhibiting growth of the remanufacturing industry, and poor market acceptance of remanufactured products.

Recreate India is being incorporated a non-profit (‘Section 8 Company’) enterprise. Such organizations are eligible to receive corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds that companies must spend as mandated in Schedule 7 of the Companies Act. In short, Recreate India will be eligible to receive CSR funds. We have already started testing the waters with a few companies on receiving such funding and have received positive initial feedback.

Once the organization is fully incorporated, we will leverage our network to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations that share the proposed vision and see value in funding it. The funding requested could cover small events like webinars and workshops, medium-term research projects and publications (like the ‘State of the Industry Report’), large single events (like the annual conference), and long-term projects (like establishing the applied research centre).

On establishing relationships, our founder worked at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology, which is also the home of the Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery (C3R). He has relationships with the incumbents there and will leverage them.

On policy, our founder was one of the primary authors of the ‘Resource Efficiency & Circular Economy: Current Status and Way Forward’ report for India and through his network will engage in dialogue to sensitize policy makers on the value proposition as well as evaluate and shape the policy landscape.

Not Applicable.

At present, I am working on this full-time.

There are four advisors providing guidance, feedback and networking opportunities on an as-needed basis. They are well wishers and believe in this idea and are not being remunerated in any way at the moment. 

Rajiv Ramchandra is the founder of Recreate India. A passionate, experienced and deeply committed sustainability professional, he has previously served with the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) working with the New York State manufacturing industry, the academic & research community and government to meet the State’s sustainability goals. Recently, he served with the Environmental Management Centre LLP (EMC) in Mumbai, India in the role of Assistant Vice President.

Rajiv has an ME in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sussex, an ME in Engineering Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) as well as an MBA from RIT. He is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified (KPMG), acquired a GRI G4 Reporting Guidelines certificate (KPMG) and successfully completed the Business Sustainability Management Course from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Mark Coleman is a Senior Director of Corporate Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Syracuse University. Mark’s career has comprised leadership positions with applied research, academic, manufacturing, government, not-for-profit, and management consulting organizations.

Mark formerly served as a member of the board of the Sustainable Manufacturer Network, B9 Plastics, and the Genesee Region Clean Communities Coalition. In 2014 Mark published his second book, the award-winning title, “Time to Trust: Mobilizing Humanity for a Sustainable Future”. Time to Trust followed his 2012 seminal book release, “The Sustainability Generation: The Politics of Change and Why Personal Accountability is Essential NOW!” 

None at present.

Customer Segments:

Beneficiaries include:

1. Manufacturing industry
2. Remanufacturing industry
3. Policy makers/government
4. Research orgs./think tanks
5. Academia

Clients include:

1. Manufacturing industry
2. Remanufacturing industry
3. Policy makers/government
4. Research orgs./think tanks

 Customer Relationships:

1. Personal relationships with sponsors, beneficiaries and clients
2. Automated – pertaining to news, marketing, event marketing, etc.
3. Self-service – pertaining to registering for workshops, webinars, conferences, events and accessing related materials (workshop content, conference schedule, etc.)

Key Activities:

Recreate India’s activities are divided into program and non-program activities.

Program activities:

1. Stakeholder engagement
2. Research (policy, industry, technology)
3. Publication of research findings
4. Training programs
5. Annual conference
6. Innovation/incubation program

Non-program activities:

1. Business development
2. Marketing/social media

Cost Structure:

1. Full-time team – salaries, benefits, travel, administration
2. Hiring consultants on an as-needed basis
3. Office space (permanent or as needed at shared work space locations)
4. Laptops, software licenses (MS Office, Adobe Pro, etc.), subscriptions (Canva, Constant Contact, Eventbrite, etc.), website hosting
5. Continued Professional Development (CPD) training for team
6. Outsourced payroll services

Revenue Streams:

1. To ensure sustainability, Recreate India will rely on a diversified set of donor/sponsors
2. There will be five (5) types of revenue generating mechanisms:
   1. Donors/sponsors from the private sector/industry (direct and CSR funds)
   2. Training programs/workshops
   3. Annual conference
   4. New programs/ideas generated and search for funding
   5. Response to RFPs aligned with ReCREATe India’s goals

Note: Sponsors/donors and beneficiaries may not be the same.

Recreate India is being incorporated a non-profit (‘Section 8 Company’) enterprise. Such organizations are eligible to receive corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds that companies must spend as mandated in Schedule 7 of the Companies Act. In short, Recreate India will be eligible to receive CSR funds. We have already started testing the waters with a few companies (large and small) on receiving such funding and have received positive feedback.

Once the organization is fully incorporated, we will leverage our network and those of our advisors to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations that share the proposed vision and see value in funding it. The funding requested could cover small events like webinars and workshops, medium-term research projects and publications (like the ‘State of the Industry Report’), large single events (like the annual conference), and long-term projects (like establishing the applied research centre).

In addition, revenue will be generated through custom training programs, applied research projects, and business consulting.

In the long term, an endowment would be of tremendous help to continue Recreate India’s work and as the organization is successfully established and recognized for its contributions, this will be explored.

During the early stages of this idea’s genesis, I was going through a process of deeper self-exploration and came across the work of Otto Scharmer, Theory U and the Presencing Institute. This resonated deeply and played in a role in allowing this concept to come to life, in other words, in ‘Presencing’ it. Since then, I have been within the MIT information network and was how I became aware of the Solve Challenge.

I have been blessed with a small group of advisors and well-wishers. But as the idea developed further, it felt like something was missing. The gap felt like the need for a community or platform where this this idea would be nurtured, could evolve and grow and be launched. To me, Solve feels like that community of change-makers, thinkers, artists and creators.

Another element is the desire for critical feedback, course corrections, validation on approach and partnerships. The depth of knowledge, perspective and combined experience of this community in birthing organizations and movements will be invaluable, as will the large cross-sector network.

Lastly, I’m applying to leverage the the power of visibility, recognition and credibility that can come about through participation and possible selection through this challenge.

Not Applicable.

Below is a list of the organizations we would like to partner with:

• Remanufacturing Industries Council (RIC): www.remancouncil.us
• Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery (C3R): www.rit.edu/gis/remanufacturin...
• European Remanufacturing Council (CER): www.remancouncil.eu
• European Remanufacturing Network (ERN): www.remanufacturing.eu
• Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse (CRR): www.remanufacturing.org.uk
• Scottish Institute for Remanufacture (SIR): www.scot-reman.ac.uk
• Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC): www.a-star.edu.sg/artc
• ReMaTec: www.rematec.com
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI): www.ficci.in
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII): www.cii.in
• The Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM): www.assocham.org

The nature of the partnerships will include:

• Engaging in industry & market research
• Developing curriculum for workshops and training programs
• Hosting webinars, workshops and training programs
• Collaborating on applied research & technology transfer projects
• Organizing and marketing the annual conference
• Jointly publishing articles and reports

Not Applicable.

A significant element of Recreate India’s work will revolve around education and training for industry on remanufacturing techniques and product & process design for remanufacturability, which are foundational to the shift towards a more circular economy.

We will concurrently establish partnerships with academic institutions (locally and globally) to design curriculum and deliver courses/programs (online and in-person) for undergraduates and graduate students on remanufacturing techniques and product & process design for remanufacturability.

This two-pronged approach will serve two purposes: 1) meet the immediate knowledge and skill needs of industry and 2) provide the relevant education, knowledge and skills to students poised to enter the workforce, thus creating a flow of qualified and ‘up-to-speed’ individuals aligned to industry needs.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.