Circular economy: 8 outstanding companies
ECLAC released an analysis that includes eight cases of companies highlighted for their actions in the circular economy in the United States.
The Save Our Seas 2.0 Act was enacted in December 2020 to address the threat of plastic pollution and support grants to invest in recycling.
Likewise, the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Act), enacted on November 15, 2021, provided historic funding to develop and implement the vision reflected in EPA’s Circular Economy Strategy Series.
The first part of the series was released on November 15, 2021 and is dedicated to the National Recycling Strategy. It highlights the actions needed by government, industry and other actors to modernize the U.S. recycling and waste management system.
Circular Economy
Caterpillar
In 2021, Caterpillar created a construction equipment remanufacturing division to meet environmental goals and increase service revenues.
The division is focused on expanding remanufacturing by increasing investment and profits in that area.
According to its estimates, remanufacturing an engine produces 61% less greenhouse gas emissions than manufacturing a new one and generally requires 80% less water, energy, landfill space and raw materials.
AGCO Corp
The farm equipment manufacturer has set a goal of increasing its remanufacturing revenue by 150% by 2025 over 2020 levels.
Deere & Co.
The company is targeting a 50% increase in manufacturing revenue by 2030.
G.E. Healthcare
Medical device companies are active in the remanufacturing market.
Those operating in the remanufactured medical imaging devices market include G.E.Healthcare, PhilipsHealthcare, Toshiba Medical Systems, Shimadzu Corp, Carestream Health Inc, Hologic Inc, Hitachi Medical Corp, and Siemens Healthcare.
Applied Materials
This semiconductor fabrication equipment manufacturer has a significant remanufacturing business.
Applied Materials’ website notes that the brand is looking for used equipment and that «demand remains strong for production-proven and working 200 mm technologies.»
Colborne Foodbotics
Manufacturer of automated systems for food processing and packaging. They can remanufacture any of their equipment. The company’s website notes that the brand’s «Remanufactured Equipment Program is designed to take older, non-operational or working Colborne machines and completely disassemble and rebuild them to like-new condition.»
Cisco
The maker of routers, switches, phones and security products, runs a program called Cisco Refresh in which it offers remanufactured products at «extremely competitive, pre-discounted net prices.»
«The Cisco Refresh (Certified Remanufactured) program demonstrates our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact and helps you do the same. With Cisco Refresh, you get the quality products you expect from us with a fully sustainable low carbon footprint.»
ABB
This company has a worldwide robot remanufacturing and repair center.
Its website shows that remanufacturing is an important component of its global sustainability efforts: «As sustainability continues to grow in importance globally, ABB is committed to helping create more environmentally friendly manufacturing facilities around the world.»
«Remanufacturing enables current robot users to sell inactive or legacy robots to ABB with an attractive buy-back service, rather than scrapping them or leaving them unused. Over the past 25 years, thousands of robots have been refurbished and upgraded by ABB’s robot remanufacturing teams to give them a second life. In addition to pre-owned robots, peripheral equipment such as controllers and manipulators are reconditioned to ‘like-new’ condition at one of ABB’s Global Remanufacturing and In-Shop Repair Centers.»
