Fourth Reman Day sees global celebration despite pandemic

For the past three years, remanufacturing businesses, trade associations, research universities, and other organizations from across the globe have taken part in an industry-wide celebration known as Reman Day.

Now in its fourth year, Reman Day is designed to bring attention to the remanufacturing industry, shining a light on what remanufacturing is, how it works, and why it matters as a sustainable, resource-efficient approach to manufacturing. Each Reman Day, several events are organized that include open houses, plant tours, presentations, and other public-facing activities. In 2019, events took place in 181 locations across 22 countries on six continents. The day also features forums and discussions for policymakers, researchers, and business leaders to learn and share ideas related to remanufacturing.

The first Reman Day was held in 2018 and participation grew in 2019. It has led to more than 20 official proclamations by U.S. municipalities and two resolutions by the U.S. Congress.

Reman Day is a unique opportunity for remanufacturers to recognize the efforts of their employees and partners. They also use the day to inspire or educate staff about the wider remanufacturing industry. Often individual companies work in a very specific area of remanufacturing and rarely have the opportunity to appreciate how what they do fits into the larger remanufacturing ecosystem. It’s also a chance for companies in the industry to directly thank their customers.

Reman Day after COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic hit much of the world just three weeks prior to Reman Day 2020. This put unexpected strains on businesses, universities, and other organizations that might have otherwise participated. For 2021’s Reman Day (April 8), ongoing social-distancing measures meant few, if any, live, in-person events were possible. Instead, participants have turned to digital platforms to celebrate, using interactive virtual events like webinars or sharing content on social media.

Another important focus of Reman Day has been to engage high school students who might not be aware of remanufacturing as they consider possible career choices. Since on-site tours for schools are not possible this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, Reman Day’s organizers—the Remanufacturing Industries Council (RIC) and the Remanufacturing Association Alliance (RAA)—have created a graphic novel that teachers can download at no cost. It walks through the basics of remanufacturing, highlighting its value in light of climate change and the depletion of natural resources.

Getting the word out about remanufacturing

Remanufacturing is an industrial process for returning used or worn parts and products to a like-new condition. Heavy-equipment manufacturers like Caterpillar and John Deere have long leveraged the over-a-century-old process to maximize material efficiency and return on investment (ROI) while giving customers the best value possible at an affordable cost. Today an increasing number of consumer-product manufacturers are exploring how to incorporate remanufacturing into their operations.

Outside of manufacturing, remanufacturing has attracted the attention of policymakers in search of sustainable but economically feasible industrial methods in the face of climate change. Remanufacturing offers a practical route to the circular economy: It could lead to an 80–98 percent drop in the volume of raw materials that are extracted to supply the existing industrial economy.  

A report from the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Resource Panel found that 79–99 percent of the potential greenhouse gases associated with the manufacturing, use, and disposal of a single component could be offset through remanufacturing. The report was authored by Nabil Nasr, founding director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology and CEO of the REMADE Institute, two leading international research bodies advancing remanufacturing technologies.

Read more

• Visit remanday.org to learn more about Reman Day.
• Learn more about remanufacturing.