How to select remanufacturing mode: end-of-life or used product?

Remanufacturing strategies contribute to green and sustainable production management plans, promising significant reductions in environmental impact as well as substantial production cost savings. Limited by some practical conditions, in addition to remanufacturing end-of-life (EOL) products, producers may also collect used products that are not completely scrapped for remanufacturing. Remanufacturing EOL and used products play an essential role in reducing the pressure of waste management. In the presence of secondary market, we explore and compare a durable-goods producer’s decision-makings by establishing models of remanufacturing EOL and used products, respectively. Analytical results show that remanufacturing used products is more conducive to producers to start remanufacturing, and beneficial to the development and maturity of the remanufacturing industry. Remanufacturing EOL or used products affects the secondary market; however, the latter has a greater effect. In addition, the comparison and analysis based on a case data show that the total enterprise profits, consumer surplus, and environmental performance of remanufacturing used products are higher than those of remanufacturing EOL products.