Moreover, the production steps needed for the second life of a product are fewer, therefore the energy consumption drops dramatically, cutting production costs. (Bernard, 2011 αλλα από sustain 1).
A famous case of successful remanufacturing practices is Caterpillar. Caterpillar with its “CAT ReMan” has succeed in remanufacturing with over two millions of used components (cores) returned in 2010, 134 lbs of materials that are remanufactured or recycled each year and preservation of about 85% of original energy added (http://parts.cat.com/en/catcorp/cat-reman-products).
Considering the materials, energy, plant and material conservation, Giutini and Gaudette (2003) concluded that the production costs of remanufactured products are about 35% to 60% of the manufacturing cost of the new ones. This reduction of production costs is fundamental for the profitability of the businesses of this sector and can guarantee high returns on investment. This benefit makes companies competitive, healthy and beneficial to their costumers too, decreasing products prices (Gallo et al., 2012 sustain