Core Management in the Commercial Vehicle Industry

Remanufacturing - the highest form of recycling

Remanufacturing is the industrial reconditioning of cores (used products) and thus the highest form of recycling and circular economy. The key to success for a business model of this kind is a customer-friendly process for returning the cores, which are the limiting resource, to the remanufacturing plant. This is normally facilitated through a core deposit program.

Remanufacturer of the Year Award for Best Reman Process Optimisation

In 2019, during the world’s largest remanufacturing exhibition, ReMaTec in Amsterdam, Knorr-Bremse TruckServices received the Remanufacturer of the Year Award 2019 in the category “Best Reman Process Optimisation”. The panel of judges commended the performance of Knorr-Bremse TruckServices in the field of process optimization. Through its fully digitized return process for cores, the jury said, Knorr-Bremse TruckServices was living up to the high expectations of customers and of the process itself. The jury were particularly impressed by the way in which the Knorr-Bremse process permits the seamless tracking of a core, from collection order and incoming goods, to core identification and deposit refund accounting.

Core Program and Procedures

At Knorr-Bremse TruckServices, we prioritize the importance of cores in the remanufacturing process. Cores are essential to our efforts in producing high-quality Knorr-Bremse EconX (genuine remanufactured) products while promoting circular economy.

Knorr-Bremse Core Return Policy and Strategy

Our core policy and strategy are guided by three main objectives:

• Quality Assurance: We collect high-quality cores to ensure the availability of top-notch Knorr-Bremse EconX products in the market.
• Safety: We prevent unauthorized parties from misusing broken, damaged, or worn-out safety-critical products for reconditioning. This approach safeguards customers from potential safety issues that may arise from incorrect or unauthorized repair activities.
• Environmental Responsibility: We promote a sustainable economy by reducing waste and CO₂ emissions. Every returned core contributes to savings of up to 150 kg of CO₂ equivalents and the recovery of 80% of raw materials.

How can the end users contribute to keeping the quality of returned cores?

End users play a crucial role in preserving core quality by following specific guidelines:

• Adhering to the Core Damage Prevention Guideline and Core Manual provided by Knorr-Bremse.
• Storing cores in dry, clean spaces post-vehicle disassembly to prevent corrosion.
• Ensuring proper packaging and protection of threads/ports during transit, complying with local regulations.
• Preferably returning cores in the packaging of the replacement product.
• Arranging cores for transport with heavier ones at the bottom and lighter ones on top, separated by interlayers for safety.
• The sender is obliged to ensure that the packaging and its contents are following local laws (e.g. of EU).

Advantages for Customers

• Customers can save money on repairs and maintenance by using remanufactured parts, which are often less expensive.
• Core management ensures that returned cores fulfil certain quality criteria, guaranteeing that consumers receive high-quality remanufactured components that work similarly to new parts.
• By efficiently managing cores, manufacturers can ensure an ongoing supply of reprocessed components, reducing downtime for customers who are waiting for core replacements.
• Remanufactured parts support sustainability by reducing the waste and preserving resources.