Exploring inter-organizational relationships in automotive component remanufacturing

Journal of Remanufacturing - 2014
Sebastian Lind1, David Olsson1, Erik Sundin1
1Division of Manufacturing Engineering, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

Tóm tắt

Abstract One of the industry sectors with the longest history in remanufacturing is the automotive industry. Remanufactured parts include brake calipers, engines, servo pumps and alternators. A big challenge for automotive component remanufacturers is to achieve a steady flow of cores (parts that are used for remanufacturing). This flow could be secured by making agreements with core suppliers, such as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), a core broker or another actor in the market. The remanufacturer can also choose to collect the cores without closer collaboration with the core suppliers. One crucial aspect in choosing how to collect the cores is that it has to be lucrative. The aim of this paper is to explore how remanufacturers manage their inter-organizational relationships in the closed-loop supply chain. A case study was conducted within the European research project ‘CAN-REMAN’, and empirical data was collected from six participating companies within the project, all European small and medium-sized (SME) remanufacturers of automotive components. These companies were investigated, and their relationships, defined in earlier research with core suppliers, were evaluated. A key finding of the research is that the most problematic parameter with supplier relationships is to receive the ordered quantity of cores from the supplier. This parameter is continually ranked as one of the most important, and the participating companies also claim to have problems with it. A successful relationship and take-back system was pointed out by one of the companies to never be the owner of the actual cores, and only perform the remanufacturing activity (service) for an OEM. This new relationship, called reman-contract, is where the OEM owns the core and the remanufacturer just performs remanufacturing including some sorting and storing. It was found that with this kind of relationship, the ordered quantity of cores was fulfilled to a higher degree, and thus the challenge of achieving a steady flow of cores was met.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Östlin J, Sundin E, Björkman M: Product life-cycle implications for remanufacturing strategies. J. Clean. Prod. 2009,17(11):999–1009. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.02.021

Sundin E, Bras B: Making functional sales environmentally and economically beneficial through product remanufacturing. J. Clean. Prod. 2005,13(9):913–925. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.04.006

Union E: Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on end-of-life vehicles. Off. J. Eur. Communities 2000, 53: 34–42.

Freiberger S, Albrecht M, Käufl J: Reverse engineering technologies for remanufacturing of automotive systems communicating via CAN bus. J. Remanufact. 2011, 1: 6. 10.1186/2210-4690-1-6

Dunbäck O, Sundin E: Reverse logistic challenges within remanufacturing of automotive components. Glasgow: International Conference on Remanufacturing; 2011.

Sundin E, Dunbäck O: Reverse logistic challenges in remanufacturing of automotive mechatronics and electronic systems. J Remanufact 2013, 3: 2. 10.1186/2210-4690-3-2

Ostlin J: On Remanufacturing Systems - Analysing and Managing Material Flows and Process Organisation. PhD thesis. Linköping, Sweden: Linköping University, Department of Management and Engineering; 2008.

Seitz MA, Peattie K: Meeting the closed-loop supply challenge. Calif. Manag. Rev. 2004,46(2):41–48.

Fleischmann M, Krikke HR, Dekker R, Flapper SDP: A characterisation of logistics networks for product recovery. Omega Int. J. Manag. Sci. 2000, 28: 653–666. 10.1016/S0305-0483(00)00022-0

Geyer R, Jackson T: Supply loops and their constraints: the industrial ecology of recycling and reuse. Calif. Manag. Rev. 2004,46(2):55–73. 10.2307/41166210

de Wit B, Meyer R: Strategy Process, Content, Context: An International Perspective. Boston, Massachusetts, United States: Thomson learning; 2004.

Östlin J, Sundin E, Björkman M: Importance of closed-loop supply chain relationships for product remanufacturing. Int. J. Prod. Econ. 2008, 115: 336–348. 10.1016/j.ijpe.2008.02.020

HowStuffWorks© 2013.

Daugherty PJ, Richey RG, Hudgens BJ, Autry CW: Reverse logistics in the automobile aftermarket industry. Int. J. Logistics Manag. 2003,14(1):49–62. 10.1108/09574090310806530

Spekman RE, Kamauff JW Jr, Myhr N: An empirical investigation into supply chain management: a perspective on partnerships. Supp. Chain. Manag. 1998,3(2):53–67. 10.1108/13598549810215379

Cox A: The art of the possible: relationship management in power regimes and supply chains. Supp. Chain. Manag. 2004,9(5):346–356. 10.1108/13598540410560739

Ellegaard C, Johansen J, Drejer A: Managing industrial buyer–supplier relations - the case for attractiveness. Integr. Manuf. Syst. 2003,14(4):346–356. 10.1108/09576060310469725

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Journal of Remanufacturing

Thông tin tác giả