Double Interview: GSM Parts Center and REWA on Building Europe’s Next-Generation Supply Chain

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you provide an in-depth look at the history of GSM Parts Center, including the year it was founded, the initial vision behind the business, and the most important milestones or achievements that have shaped the company’s position in today’s European secondary market?

Roman Kohsti: GSM Parts Center began in 2013, when I was still focused on repairing phones, mainly BlackBerry, Nokia and early Apple iPhone models like the 3G and 3GS. Demand was high, but finding reliable parts was extremely difficult. With my brothers, I travelled to Guangzhou to better understand the supply chain and source components firsthand. My repair experience helped us quickly identify quality, and we soon transitioned from repair to wholesale as shipments to the Netherlands increased.

Growth came fast. We opened an office in Guangzhou to improve sourcing control and expanded locally from a 70 m² space to multiple warehouses. By 2023, we moved into a facility with 2,000 m² of storage and 400 m² of office space. In 2025, we secured permits for another 450 m² expansion.

Innovation has been part of our identity from the beginning. We developed our own repair software system, now widely used across Europe, and launched Fixers, our repair network, which gives us real-world feedback that flows directly into our product and software development.

Today, we serve some of Europe’s largest repair chains, offering complete solutions from parts supply to software integration and aftersales support. The journey has been shaped by consistent growth, vertical integration, and staying close to the realities of repair businesses.

SecondaryMarket.news: Since the company’s founding, how has GSM Parts Center adapted and evolved its overall service model to meet the changing needs of dealers, particularly in areas such as repair processes, accessories supply, and sourcing reliable spare parts for the mobile industry across Europe?

Roman Kohsti: Our evolution has always been driven by dealer needs. Early on, sourcing in China was fragmented, so we opened our own office near the Guangzhou parts market. That gave us control over testing, cosmetic checks and quality selection long before products reached Europe.

The COVID-19 period forced us to rethink our approach. When travel stopped, we closed our Guangzhou office and partnered with REWA in Shenzhen, whose scale and quality systems ensured uninterrupted supply. It made us stronger and more flexible.

Today, our service model anticipates market shifts rather than reacting to them. We supplement parts with software, workflow tools and broad accessory lines, and we focus on deep inventory. For each device, we don’t just stock a screen or battery, we offer full component sets, often in multiple quality grades. This allows dealers to choose the right option for every repair scenario.

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you describe the full range of components GSM Parts Center offers today, outlining the most in-demand categories, the brands you support, and how your portfolio reflects wider market trends in repair, refurbishment, and secondary mobile technology?

Roman Kohsti: Our product range covers the full toolkit for professional repair and refurbishment: screens, batteries, charging ports, flex cables, back covers, and a broad selection of internal components for phones, tablets and laptops. We also supply tools, adhesives and diagnostics equipment that keep workshops running efficiently.

Apple and Samsung remain the core of the market, but we increasingly support Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo and emerging brands like Nothing. Beyond telecom, we have expanded into Dyson accessories, GoPro components and gaming console repair parts for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo.

This diversification follows broader consumer trends: repairability is extending across categories, and refurbishers need consistent quality across multiple verticals. As serialization and part pairing become more common, we offer pre-programmed or compatible modules that help technicians maintain workflow. The refurbishment sector is also expanding, and we invest heavily in traceability and quality assurance to support long-term device lifecycle management.

SecondaryMarket.news: Can you share how many employees currently work at GSM Parts Center, and give an overview of how your team structure and internal expertise contribute to maintaining consistent service quality, customer support, and long-term business relationships with your clients across the industry?

Roman Kohsti: We operate with a team of more than 50 employees across Rotterdam, Shenzhen and Ho Chi Minh City. Each location serves a strategic purpose: Rotterdam handles logistics, sales and European client support; Shenzhen focuses on quality control; and Ho Chi Minh City leads our software and R&D development.

We use dedicated account managers for Spain and France and plan to expand this model across more European markets. One of our distinct strengths is that GSM Parts Center has always functioned as much like an IT company as a distributor. Our in-house ERP, CRM and WMS systems integrate seamlessly and connect to partners worldwide through APIs. This infrastructure creates transparency, speed and reliability, key elements in long-term customer relationships.

SecondaryMarket.news: In your view, what are the defining characteristics that make GSM Parts Center stand out from other component distributors operating in the European market, and how do you differentiate through factors like product quality, pricing, logistics, customer service, or industry partnerships?

Roman Kohsti: We focus on long-term partnerships rather than transactional sales. Quality, speed and collaboration are our main pillars. Our partnership with REWA ensures that parts are inspected, tested and verified before leaving Asia, which dramatically reduces failure rates and returns.

Operationally, our logistics network and expanding warehouse capacity allow us to deliver quickly across Europe. We provide competitively priced options across multiple quality levels, but we avoid the race-to-the-bottom approach. Instead, our pricing reflects the technical support, traceability and aftersales reliability that professional repairers need.

Our strength is consistency: stable supply, transparent communication and long-term alignment with our clients’ growth ambitions.

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you start by explaining who took the initiative for this cooperation between GSM Parts Center and REWA, and what strategic goals both companies saw as essential in creating this partnership for the European market?

Kevin Zhou: Our cooperation is the result of years of trust and aligned vision. The creation of REWA EU formalizes a partnership built on complementary strengths. European B2B customers have long struggled to access low-cost, high-quality supply chain services with local support. REWA EU was founded to solve exactly that.

We plan three development stages: first, building a full hardware and software foundation with a local operating team; second, establishing service stations across EU countries; and third, enhancing localized service capabilities to match the needs of regional repair ecosystems.

SecondaryMarket.news: In what ways do you believe the DNA, corporate culture, and long-term vision of GSM Parts Center align with REWA’s approach to the global repair ecosystem, and how does this synergy benefit European repair businesses that rely on consistent, high-quality components?

Kevin Zhou: Both companies share a commitment to extending the lifecycle of electronics through smart resource use. REWA brings advanced repair solutions, tools and training; GSM Parts Center contributes efficient distribution and deep market knowledge. Together, we provide European clients with consistent quality, direct access to technical support from China, strong local aftersales services and a dual-guarantee system that reduces supply chain risk. This creates an integrated, reliable offering unmatched in the market.

SecondaryMarket.news: The REWA EU warehouse is set to be located in the Netherlands. Could you explain the specific advantages that European repair businesses gain by sourcing through this local hub rather than directly importing parts from Asia, particularly in terms of cost, delivery speed, and reliability?

Kevin Zhou: The biggest advantage is faster and more predictable aftersales support. Quality issues, even rare ones, require swift handling, but sending parts back to Asia is slow and costly. REWA EU allows customers to return items directly to the Dutch warehouse for inspection, testing and replacement. This reduces transport costs, speeds up cashflow cycles and improves stock turnover for European repair companies.

SecondaryMarket.news: Looking at both customer bases, was there significant overlap before this cooperation, given that REWA was already shipping components from China to European clients? How does the new European structure change or strengthen the combined customer relationships across the continent?

Kevin Zhou:  REWA EU targets large B2B clients, refurbishment plants, second-hand device channels, insurers and repair chains, who normally buy directly from China. Smaller repair shops remain with local distributors like GSM Parts Center. We will select one distributor per region and support them exclusively. This structure prevents channel conflict and allows us to collectively compete against multinational distributors while expanding market share through centralized procurement power.

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you give us insight into your current inventory levels and product range? Specifically, how many SKUs are available for the European market, and how do you balance breadth of choice with efficiency in stock management to meet dealer needs?

Kevin Zhou: We are starting with high-demand items such as Apple iPhone LCDs and batteries. Our next step is to analyse regional repair data to identify high-failure components and popular models. Customers will have API access so their systems can synchronize with ours, ensuring efficient inventory planning as we expand the SKU count.

Will GSM Parts Center continue to sell its own line of products alongside the REWA EU offering, or will the company now focus exclusively on distributing REWA components within Europe? How will this affect your market positioning going forward?

Kevin Zhou: GSM Parts Center and REWA EU have distinct market roles. GPC will continue serving small and medium repair shops, while REWA EU focuses on large-scale B2B procurement. All three entities, GPC, REWA and REWA EU, share supply chains, technology and market insights. The Netherlands will serve as a pilot for a model we intend to replicate globally.

SecondaryMarket.news: How does REWA EU ensure the delivery of high-quality mobile phone parts and accessories at competitive prices while minimizing the logistics challenges of cross-border distribution, and in what ways does this create a measurable advantage for European B2B clients?

Kevin Zhou: REWA adheres to Total Quality Management across sourcing, factory testing and internal inspections. In early 2025, REWA tested 929,899 incoming parts; only 72.99% passed initial inspection, meaning we filtered out 27% of sub-standard components before they reached customers. REWA EU will apply the same standards locally.

Cost-wise, aggregated purchasing from European clients increases our negotiation power with factories. These efficiencies directly reduce customer procurement costs and improve reliability.

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you explain how REWA EU combines China’s supply chain expertise with GSM Parts Center’s European logistics network and dealer relationships to optimize iPhone parts distribution, technical support, and value-added services for professional repair shops, insurers, and refurbishers?

Kevin Zhou: Our cooperation creates a three-part optimized system. REWA ensures fast and stable supply, especially after new device launches, while GSM Parts Center guarantees last-mile delivery across Europe. For technical support, REWA provides remote refurbishment expertise, and GPC translates this into on-site assistance. Value-added services such as parts plus certification combine REWA’s technical capabilities with GPC’s understanding of European regulations, creating a fully localized, globally backed solution.

SecondaryMarket.news: What role does direct dealer feedback play in REWA EU’s continuous improvement process, and could you provide specific examples of how customer input has shaped not only the product portfolio but also training programs, logistics solutions, and aftersales services in Europe?

Kevin Zhou: Dealer feedback is central to our development cycle. For example, repair shops requested matching waterproof and battery adhesives for Apple iPhones, so we now include these as standard. Distributors needed product photos and videos for online listings, so we provide these based on partnership level. Refurbishers requested visual controls and safer switches on water-grinding machines, which we integrated into new iterations.

Local feedback will accelerate even more under REWA EU, allowing faster improvements and more responsive product development.