Automotive Remanufacturing: The Ultimate Form of Circular Economy

In this chapter a brief overview of Remanufacturing in the context of circular economy and the automotive aftermarket will be provided. The multiple benefits that a company can derive out of a Remanufacturing process and a Remanufacturing business model will be explained. They reach from, e.g. Core-Control over reduction of quality costs to an improved environmental footprint. This chapter is the first publication that comprehensively describes the big management picture of Remanufacturing, mainly based on the role of an Original Equipment Supplier company in the automotive aftermarket. It also provides thoughts on the right identification of products that are suitable for Remanufacturing as well as some Remanufacturing specific key performance indicators. A special focus will be given to the Core, the lifeblood of Remanufacturing, as well as the necessary Core return system. The declaration of Remanufacturing as the ultimate form of recycling and circular economy will be underlined by a discussion on the sustainability dimensions of Remanufacturing, where examples of CO2 savings of a remanufactured heavy duty trailer air disc brake are given.