Brake specialist Knorr-Bremse is stepping up its activities in the remanufacturing market. The company is investing in the expansion of its premium quality industrial remanufacturing capacities in Europe. As the original manufacturer of the parts concerned, Knorr-Bremse is familiar with the precise specifications and tolerances of every single component. This hard-earned expertise offers customers added safety and peace of mind, as well as supporting their efforts to conserve resources.
“Premium quality remanufactured products are set to play an even more important part in Knorr-Bremse’s business. The high quality of our remanufactured products helps protect our customers against potential safety risks. As a responsible OEM we consider this our duty and we are convinced that it takes in-depth experience of series production to produce technically high quality and reliable replacement parts. And so we are bundling our remanufacturing expertise and increasing our production capacities,” said Mr. Wolfgang Krinner, Member of the Executive Board of the Group’s Commercial Vehicle Systems division, Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH.
Knorr-Bremse ensures that the quality of its remanufactured parts is identical to that of original parts in terms of its functionality, so that the only difference is in its life expectancy. At the same time, the company’s extended range of remanufactured parts supports operators in their efforts to conserve resources during the long service lives of their vehicles. Despite the cost and effort of returning, disassembling, cleaning and inspecting the parts which the remanufacturing process inevitably involves, the benefits for the environment are substantial. In-house studies show that, compared to a new part, a remanufactured part cuts carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75 per cent. Financial savings for the customer are between 10 and 20 per cent compared to the price of a new part.
Knorr-Bremse is bundling its remanufacturing expertise at its Liberec plant in the Czech Republic, where a 9,000 square meter production shop is dedicated entirely to this field of activity. A large part of the associated investments has gone into high-tech cleaning technology, including pyrolysis equipment to burn off old coats of paint, spray washing systems that utilize a variety of media, ultrasonic cleaning baths and blasting systems. To concentrate its remanufacturing expertise in organizational terms, Knorr-Bremse has brought together activities previously handled by different business units within a team led by Mr. Frank Merwerth and Dr. Daniel Köhler.
Ideal solutions for mature fleets
At the international ReMaTec remanufacturing fair in Amsterdam, Knorr-Bremse is showcasing the individual steps involved in remanufacturing and demonstrating the four-stage process on products including a two-cylinder compressor. The process leads from a worn, used part to a ready-to-install reconditioned replacement with exactly the same functionality as a new part. The reconditioning work involves not only the mechanical parts but also the mechatronic and electronic components of the product. Remanufactured products are subject to the same end-of-line quality tests as new parts and in some cases are assembled on the same production lines.
Remanufacturing for customers around the world
The company’s remanufacturing business is not restricted to Europe. For instance, in April of this year Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix), a U.S.-based wholly-owned subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse, also announced the expansion of its remanufacturing portfolio. Its new “All Makes” product line focused on remanufactured compressors comprises 20 of its own components and 100 from other manufacturers. In this way, Bendix is supporting a proposed U.S. government initiative aimed at promoting the use of remanufactured products in public-sector vehicles. In addition, Knorr-Bremse is also active in the remanufacturing sector in Brazil.
You will find Knorr-Bremse at the ReMaTec fair in Amsterdam from June 14-16, 2015 at booth 10.422 in hall 10.