Global Remanufacturing Day, an initiative of the Remanufacturing Industries Council, is an occasion to advance the remanufacturing industry through remanufacturer-hosted events and workforce development initiatives. In 2017, Bendix produced over 2 million remanufactured components across its product lines.
“Reman Day is great for awareness of remanufacturing, which is a critical aspect of our industry that continues to grow. At Bendix, remanufacturing is vitally important in many ways, including being a key part of our dedication to environmental stewardship through conservation of energy, raw materials and landfill space, for instance, as well as climate protection,” says Maria Gutierrez, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability. “Our reman business strategy focuses on the triple bottom line – people, planet and profit. We’re driven to achieve sustainable, long-term growth and to consistently reduce the environmental impact of our company. Last year, by helping us avoid the equivalent purchase of more than 8,000 tons of new parts, our remanufacturing operations reduced the company’s carbon footprint by 28,000 equivalent tons of CO2. Those outcomes tie directly to one of Bendix’s deepest principles – responsible growth by taking care of the environment and improving the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.”
Genuine reman
Global Remanufacturing Day offers another opportunity to revisit what qualifies as a genuine remanufactured product. To qualify, a component must be factory rebuilt by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) using a mix of reconditioned components and brand-new components from the same suppliers they use on original equipment. Wear components and items subjected to high stress or high temperatures, or subject to high fatigue or corrosion, are replaced with original spec components identical to those on a brand-new product. In addition to reducing environmental impact of new part production, remanufactured components help reduce replacement costs and extend vehicle life, according to the announcement.
“Remanufacturing is not to be confused with rebuilding – the terms are not interchangeable,” says Henry Foxx, Bendix director of remanufactured products. “Lower-cost alternatives to reman parts are often rebuilt rather than remanufactured. Take, for instance, a rebuilder breaking down the core of an air compressor for reuse. Because they may not have full access to OEM-quality replacements, they may simply clean or repaint the compressor’s parts, reuse the wear components, or replace them with inferior versions.”
Rebuilders may just reline brake shoes with new friction instead of coining to return them to the proper OEM geometry. Also, OEM-level remanufacturers conduct much more rigorous postproduction testing because they have the resources and expertise already in place.
Remanufactured components from Bendix include brake shoes, air disc brakes, valves, air dryers, compressors, and electronics. In 2011, Bendix formed a dedicated business unit focused on its remanufactured products. The company continues to grow its remanufacturing business and further develop its operations and offerings.
