Giving Industrial Valves a Second Life: Definox Structures a New Reuse Channel
What if industrial valves, too, could have more than one life?
With REVAMP and CPFI Inox, DEFINOX is launching a second‑life approach focused on the installed base of valves at customer sites. The objective is to structure a dedicated channel able to recover still‑usable valves, reconditioning them, and reintegrating them into the industrial economy.
“Today, for private individuals, buying second‑hand has become natural. In industry, it’s still very marginal,”
reminds Laurent Maillard, who initiated the project on the CPFI Inox and REVAMP side.
An Existing Resource… and a Model to Be Built
For several decades, Definox has equipped leading players in the food and cosmetics industries. The result is a substantial installed base, spread across the entire territory.
In practice, part of this valve fleet remains unused. Recipe changes, line modifications, workshop closures—many situations lead to still‑functional equipment being taken out of service, with no straightforward solution for reuse.
“We still have a huge installed base that represents an enormous pool of raw material, which sometimes ends up being scrapped,”
summarizes François Caudrelier.
Rather than immediately launching a standardized offer, Definox has chosen to first structure the channel itself. Collecting, sorting, reconditioning, reinjecting: a process that still needs to be organized.
“The idea is to learn, to create flows that will allow us to do this on a small scale initially, and then to expand over time.”
A Reuse Logic Beyond Maintenance
Second‑hand should not be confused with maintenance.
“Sending a valve back, repairing it, and reinstalling it at the same customer—we’ve been doing that for 50 years. Second‑hand means a transfer of ownership.”
A valve leaves one industrial site, is reconditioned, and then reused elsewhere. It is this circulation between stakeholders that defines the reuse model.
To make this channel operational, Definox relies on two complementary partners:
- CPFI Inox, responsible for collection, sorting, trading, and reconditioning
- REVAMP, which brings engineering expertise and integrates second‑hand equipment into complete industrial projects
“Definox valves are 100% maintainable,” emphasizes Laurent Maillard—a key prerequisite for making this recirculation possible.
Creating the Flows, Ensuring Industrial Standards
Definox does not carry out the reconditioning itself. Its role is to activate its network, initiate, and structure the dynamic.
“My goal is to encourage customers to call us—after 20 years of telling them no,”
says François Caudrelier.
The company acts as an entry point, capable of identifying valve pools and directing industrial players toward CPFI Inox.
This ramp‑up comes with a clear requirement: offering second‑hand equipment that meets industrial standards.
“We’re talking about high‑level industrial players.”
Reconditioned valves are based on:
- original supplier parts
- a controlled reconditioning process
- inspection of all product‑contact components
- a 6‑month warranty
A Flow‑Driven Model Before a Stock‑Driven One
In this approach, valve availability does not rely on a standardized stock, but on the flows of recovered and reconditioned equipment.
A model still under construction—and deliberately so.
“The idea is to learn and progressively structure the flows,”
recalls François Caudrelier.
A pragmatic approach aimed at building a solid channel before scaling it up.
Preparing the Future of Industrial Valves
Beyond the immediate business model, this initiative is part of a long‑term vision.
Between raw material constraints, decarbonization challenges, and the search for more local solutions, making better use of existing equipment is becoming a strategic lever.
“We have every interest in learning now.”
Initial projects combining new equipment and reconditioned equipment already show that this approach can be integrated into concrete industrial solutions.
Creating the Second‑Life Reflex
The challenge now is to establish a new reflex: viewing an unused valve not as dormant stock, but as a resource.
Do you have unused valves?
The Definox, REVAMP, and CPFI Inox teams can support you in assessing their reuse potential and organizing their reintegration.
Contact Definox: sav@definox.com
Contact CPFI Inox: commercial@cpfi-inox.com.