October 26, 2023

Conference to put spotlight on remanufacturing’s carbon-cutting potential

The RIC-RIT World Remanufacturing Conference (WRC) returns November 7–9, 2023, in Springfield, Missouri, to show remanufacturing’s potential as a driver of a zero-carbon economy.

The push to find real, profitable strategies for decarbonizing manufacturing is at full throttle—but is the remanufacturing industry ready? WRC 2023 will provide business leaders, innovators, policymakers, and other decision-makers the opportunity to discover how “reman” can support cleaner, more sustainable production. They will learn from thought leaders working at the intersection of remanufacturing, carbon accounting, and climate policy.

Now in its sixth year, WRC remains the only industry event to focus entirely on remanufacturing, an industrial process for returning used or worn parts and products to a like-new condition.

New location offers unique tour experience

This year’s location—Springfield, Missouri—will mark a first for the event, which has been held in Rochester, New York, since its inception in 2017. The shift in venue will give attendees firsthand access to the sites of some of the foremost remanufacturers in the United States.

Springfield is at the heart of a region rich with remanufacturing. Ten companies call the region home that are either dedicated remanufacturers or have sizeable remanufacturing divisions within their operations.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in guided tours of the following sites, each with a unique focus:

Deere & Company: Electronics reman facility
SRC Logistics: Real-time core management
CNH Engines: Reman from salvage to shipping
BBB Industries: Turbocharger reman facility
OTC Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing: Interactive reman training environment

Remanning to decarbonize

Although remanufacturing has been in practice for more than a century, many companies now see it as an enabler of circular economy, where valuable materials are kept in use for as long as possible, waste and pollution are eliminated, and natural systems are regenerated.

A remanufactured product requires as much as 98% less raw materials than a newly made one, that means far less energy is needed to extract resources and transport them. This difference cuts down on a product’s carbon emissions by 79–99%.

Remanufacturing not only keeps valuable materials in circulation longer and offsets carbon, but it can equal significant savings for manufacturers and consumers.

Attendees will explore the latest strategies and technologies for realizing reman’s potential as a building block for a carbon-free future. The three-day event will include thought-provoking keynotes, interactive panel discussions, and focused technical sessions, as well as in-depth guided tours of remanufacturing facilities in and around Springfield, Missouri, the heart of a region known as “Reman Country.”

Conference highlights will include:

Measuring carbon: How carbon accounting works, what tools companies use to do it, and what that means for remanners
Innovation through sustainability: Finding—and capitalizing on—opportunities for growth in the zero-carbon economy
Remanning the electric vehicle: The role reman could play as part of the decarbonized and electrified auto industry
Guided tours: A full day of in-person tours of John Deere Reman, SRC Logistics, CNH Industrial Reman, and BBB Industries