I Used to Think Refurbished Parts Were a Gamble. I Was Wrong.

Let me save you the pain I went through. In my first year handling Kleemann equipment orders (2017, if memory serves), I'd reflexively specify new OEM parts for every repair. The reasoning seemed bulletproof: new is new, refurbished is someone else's problem. That mindset cost my operation roughly $12,000 in unnecessary spending before I finally saw the light.

The turning point came when a client's old MC110 Z EVO—we called it the Woolly Bear because it moved like a fuzzy caterpillar—needed a complete jaw replacement. The budget was tight, the lead time for new parts was six weeks, and the client, let's call him Henry, had a contract that literally said "no refurbished components." Henry wasn't playing that game.

What Most People Don't Realize About Kleemann Refurbished Parts

Here's something vendors won't tell you: certified refurbished parts from Kleemann are often built to stricter tolerances than brand-new ones. The factory takes used cores, disassembles them, replaces wear surfaces, and re-tests to original spec—or better. The 'refurbished' label doesn't mean 'worn out'; it means 'remanufactured to like-new performance.'

I learned this the hard way when I once ordered a new hydraulic pump for an MR 130 Z EVO2. Paid premium, waited three weeks, installed it, and it failed within 200 hours. The replacement? A refurbished unit from Kleemann's ERNA program (that's their dedicated refurbishment line). It cost 40% less, arrived in five days, and is still running strong after 1,800 hours.

The Woolly Bear Moment

Back to the Woolly Bear. After convincing Henry's procurement team to grant a waiver on that contract clause—turns out the 'no refurbished' rule was a decade-old policy that nobody had reviewed—we installed a certified refurbished jaw set. The machine actually performed better than it did with the original jaws. Throughput increased by 12% because the new wear profile matched the updated design from the EVO2 line.

The most frustrating part? I'd been paying extra for new parts on identical machines for four years. If I'd asked sooner, I'd have saved roughly $3,000 annually, give or take a few hundred.

Why Henry Wasn't Playing—And Why That's Common

Henry's contract prohibited refurbished parts because of an old assumption: refurbished = unreliable. But that assumption ignores two realities:

  • Kleemann's factory refurbishment is more thorough than many third-party shops' new builds. Every component is subjected to load testing, ultrasonic inspection, and dimensional checks that exceed the original production thresholds.
  • The industry has evolved. What was true in 2018 about remanufactured parts is no longer true in 2025. The ERNA program now offers a full warranty—same as new—on every remanufactured component.

I'm not 100% sure which OEM started this trend, but I've seen Sandvik and Metso launch similar programs. The point is, the 'cheaper means worse' heuristic is a simplification fallacy. You can't compare unit prices in isolation—total cost of ownership is what matters.

Counterargument: But What About Critical Safety Components?

I hear this every time I give this talk: "Surely you wouldn't use refurbished parts on wear plates or toggle plates that could fail catastrophically?" Fair question. But here's the nuance: certified refurbished parts undergo the same non-destructive testing as new ones. The difference is the core was previously used. If the core passed inspection, it's as safe as a new casting.

Now, I do draw the line at structural frames and major weldments—those I still replace new. But for rotating assemblies, hydraulic cylinders, wear components, and electrical modules? Refurbished is the smarter choice 80% of the time.

Three Rules I Now Live By

  1. Always ask if a certified refurbished option exists before ordering new. You might be surprised—and the savings can fund other upgrades.
  2. Check your contract language. If your agreement with the client (or your own purchasing policy) bans refurbished parts, push for a review. Outdated policies leave money on the table.
  3. Test one component first. Start with a non-critical part, track performance for 500 hours, and compare. That's how Henry finally came around—we tested a refurbished conveyor roller on Woolly Bear and it outperformed the new ones.

Look, I wish someone had told me this in 2017. I would've avoided the embarrassment of insisting on new parts while an experienced operator watched me waste the client's money. Henry eventually got his contract revised—now he's playing the game smarter. And the Woolly Bear? It's still running, still chewing through aggregate, and still proving that refurbished doesn't mean second-rate.

If you're specifying parts for any Kleemann machine—MC, MR, Mobicone, Mobiscreen—take five minutes to check the ERNA refurbished catalog. You might end up saving enough to buy lunch for the whole crew. And you'll certainly avoid becoming the person who learns this lesson the expensive way.