At the end of April, journalists from all over Europe were invited to see the Bosch eXchange, alternator remanufacturing plant in Slovakia. Located at Bernolákovo, near Bratislava, the plant remanufactures some quarter of a million units a year, to full original equipment specification and is at the cutting edge of a rapidly expanding automotive remanufacturing industry across the globe. 

The visitors to the Bernolákovo plant were shown how Bosch eXchange alternators play a vital role in the future of the automotive aftermarket. Firstly they provide access to value based repairs for garages, by providing very high OE quality and combining this with an excellent price-performance ratio. This allows workshops to keep vehicles on the road for longer, meaning drivers are satisfied and resources are being saved. 

Secondly, as an example of the resource-saving circular economy, the Bosch eXchange program shows how components that are thought to be redundant, can be given a new lease of life and a much extended life cycle. Bosch experts at the plant point out that reusing parts during remanufacturing, keeps materials in circulation for longer and conserves resources. For example, when remanufacturing alternators, depending on the application, 70 – 80 % of the original components are reused.

The visiting journalists were given a tour of the plant by site manager Tomas Danter and shown all aspects of the remanufacturing process. This included; preparation of old core, disassembly, cleaning, remanufacturing, component testing, final assembly, final testing and packaging. The emphasis throughout the process is on maintaining the highest quality standards, with procedures in place to test and retest key components at every stage. This is something that is reflected in the certification of the plant to OE standard IATF 16949.

As well as products available under the Bosch eXchange brand, Bernolákovo also produces remanufactured units for vehicle manufacturers, to offer under their own names. Bosch eXchange is an all makes programme, covering high quality starters and alternators with extensive car parc coverage, on both cars and commercial vehicles. 

Bosch eXchange alternators, starters and other remanufactured parts are available from stockists nationwide. You can read more about the program and the Bernolákovo facility in the next issue of Autobiz magazine.