Remanufacturing engines and components: A growing, successful part of the circular economy

Industry leaders in engines, equipment and components recently discussed remanufacturing and its role in sustainability and the circular economy in a webinar, now available for online viewing.

The session features representatives from Caterpillar, Cummins, John Deere, Johnson Matthey and Stanadyne who share insights about their efforts in heavy-duty engine and component remanufacturing within the circular economy.

“In the lead up to Earth Day 2025, our speakers opened a new dimension—contributing to a circular economy—to our appreciation of the many roles internal-combustion engines (ICEs) play in society,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Engine Technology Forum and sponsor of the webinar. “Combined with increasing energy efficiency, achieving near-zero emissions and use of renewable biofuels, remanufacturing boosts it to a new level.”

A diverse audience was in attendance for the 75-minute session, including representatives from municipal, state and federal government agencies; research and technical institutions; academia; nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and truck, engine and equipment manufacturers as well as dealers and the service and equipment industry.

“The extent and success of remanufacturing engines, components and rare metals from on- and off-road vehicles and equipment is not always in the spotlight but is nothing short of astounding,” Schaeffer noted. “Remanufacturing provides considerable value to customers, manufacturers and the environment by reducing demand for raw materials, energy savings, reducing waste and offering cost savings for customers.”

Patricia Covington, Cummins’ executive director of recon general management, outlined how remanufacturing has been part of the history of Cummins since the 1960s.

The 10-step process at Cummins begins as new products are designed and manufactured.

Reman further helps mitigate supply-chain risks to serve customers during disruptions in the supply of new materials and during periods of uncertainty.

She discussed key aspects of each of the three phases of the remanufacturing lifecycle.

Kevin Schrag, manager of John Deere reman, outlined Deere’s reman business that exceeds more than 450,000 core receipts annually and is growing with the opening of a new facility.

He discussed the value proposition for the customer, the dealer and manufacturer as well as the diverse range of products suitable for remanufacturing.

He highlighted the significance of the standardized definition of remanufacturing.

“Remanufacturing is a comprehensive and rigorous industrial process by which a previously sold, worn or nonfunctional product or component is returned to a ‘like-new’ or ‘better-than-new’ condition and warranted in performance level and quality,” he said, citing the Remanufacturing Industries Council as the source of the definition. “Remanufacturing is not the same as ‘recycling’ or ‘repairing.’”

Jeff Sutherland, the drivetrain product manager and chief engineer of Caterpillar’s remanufacturing Division, highlighted the company’s participation in REMADE, a joint project coordinated by the Rochester Institute of Technology and other industry groups and funded by U.S. DOE.

The project is the development of a novel design for remanufacturing software plug-ins for computer-aided design.

The project establishes principles for design engineers that assess and contribute to boosting the ability for parts to be remanufactured from the earliest design phases.

The software project is currently in beta testing and is expected to be commercialized in the near future.

Srinu Gunturu, the chief engineer at Stanadyne Operating Co. LLC, reviewed the company’s remanufacturing vision and its contribution to the circular economy.

As a market leader in remanufactured fuel and air systems for diesel engines, and a trusted contract manufacturer of precision diesel components for both original-equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket, Stanadyne—along with its Pure Power Technologies brand—demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability.

Through its advanced remanufacturing processes, the company is able to retain up to 85 percent of the original material in fuel-system and turbocharger components, significantly reducing waste and resource consumption.

Marge Ryan, the advocacy manager for platinum-group metals (PGMs) at Johnson Matthey, highlighted the company’s history and commitments to driving down transport emissions and creating a circular economy.

She outlined the durable design features of modern diesel-engine emissions-control systems—oxidation catalysts, particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction (SCR)—that enable achieving high mileage without parts replacement.

The role PGMs play in helping engines achieve near-zero emissions was emphasized along with their circularity in the supply chain.

ICE vehicles were noted to be the primary user of PGMs, and the extensive and established process of recovering PGMs is such that this “urban mine” effectively recovers and reprocesses PGMs.

This contributes to the fact that about 60 percent of PGMs used on newly fabricated products and catalysts globally is sourced from recycled metal.

More information about internal-combustion engines, sustainability and remanufacturing can be found at enginetechforum.org.