The method for assessment of the sustainability maturity in remanufacturing companies

Remanufacturing is one of the preferable reuse scenario for worn out or obsolete products. It facilitates multiple usages of the products by providing several life cycles. Remanufacturing has a big potential for cost savings regarding energy and materials usage. It might have also positive social impact. The majority of the companies which are involved in the remanufacturing operations are small and medium sized (SME). Very often operations in these companies are organized by rule-of-thumbs (expert knowledge). In remanufacturing a broad spectrum of boundary conditions has to be considered, in contrast to new production. This situation results mainly from the fact that numerous cores' models (old parts) have to be reworked in the same workshops/production line. Moreover SME lack capacity, know-how and technical infrastructure for adapting abstract complex theoretical models. The aim of this paper is to discuss the method, which provides cross company valid sustainability assessment criteria. The method is elaborated based on the literature review and case studies. Authors present the application potential of the method in remanufacturing companies. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.