From competition to collaboration

In the rapidly growing refurbishment sector, collaboration between companies is becoming increasingly important. A strong example is the partnership between JC Electronics and the French refurbishment specialist Cofiem. According to Gerard Katje, Managing Director of JC Electronics, and Farid Netiche, Head of Purchasing at Cofiem, cooperation between companies helps accelerate the development of the refurbishment market and strengthens trust in refurbished industrial electronics. Their partnership demonstrates how shared expertise, mutual trust, and a focus on quality can help build a stronger circular industry. 

When Gerard Katje co founded JC Electronics in 2006, refurbished industrial electronics were still relatively unknown to many companies. Most organisations automatically chose new components because they were unsure about the reliability and safety of refurbished alternatives. Katje believed the potential was much greater. Rather than seeing other refurbishment companies purely as competitors, he saw them as partners working toward the same goal. 

“I didn’t just see competitors,” Katje explains. “I saw people who were solving the same problems. That mindset made all the difference.” This perspective laid the foundation for a long standing relationship with Cofiem, whose founder Laurent Mathieu had known Katje for many years. 

According to Farid Netiche, the refurbishment industry has developed rapidly in recent years. Demand for refurbished industrial components has increased significantly, driven by sustainability regulations and supply chain disruptions. “The demand for refurbished components has almost doubled since I started,” Netiche says. “New European sustainability regulations and global supply chain disruptions have really opened people’s eyes to the value companies like ours bring.” Many companies now recognise that refurbished electronics can help maintain production systems while reducing environmental impact and procurement costs. 

The partnership between JC Electronics and Cofiem became particularly important during the COVID 19 pandemic. At that time, manufacturers faced severe delays in the delivery of new components. Customers urgently needed replacement parts to keep production lines running. By sharing knowledge and coordinating stock availability, both companies were able to respond faster. “Suddenly customers were calling us in a panic,” Katje recalls. “They needed replacement parts within days, not months.” Netiche adds that the collaboration proved highly effective. “If we didn’t have something in stock, JC Electronics often did. We realised how much more we could accomplish by combining our strengths.” 

The relationship between both companies reflects the concept of cooperation within competition. While each organisation continues to operate independently, they work together on initiatives that benefit the wider refurbishment industry. For example, JC Electronics shared its environmental impact calculator with Cofiem to help measure the sustainability benefits of refurbished components. At the same time, Cofiem involved JC Electronics in its work on obtaining the DEKRA quality certification for refurbished electronics. “Certification helps customers understand the difference between second hand and professionally refurbished products,” Netiche explains. “Our products are tested, documented and guaranteed.” 

Another important focus of the partnership is knowledge sharing. Both companies recognise that the refurbishment sector faces a growing shortage of skilled technicians. According to Katje, preserving technical knowledge is essential. “The older generation of engineers and technicians is retiring,” he explains. “By training the next generation and sharing what we know, we are preserving that expertise.” Training programmes, academies, and collaborations with students help ensure that the refurbishment industry continues to develop the necessary technical skills. 

For both companies, refurbishment is closely connected to sustainability. Extending the life of industrial electronics reduces electronic waste, lowers resource consumption, and helps companies operate more efficiently. Regional cooperation also contributes to sustainability. When European companies can source refurbished components locally rather than importing new equipment from overseas, emissions, costs, and delivery times are reduced. “There is so much to do in this sector,” Katje says. “I don’t see competitors. I see partners.” With increasing sustainability regulations, improved certification standards, and growing awareness among technical buyers, both JC Electronics and Cofiem believe the refurbishment sector still has enormous growth potential.