Reman trade body MERA, which rebranded itself as The Remanufacturing Association last year, has decided that it will be known from now on as MERA – The Association for Sustainable Manufacturing, saying that the name “better reflects the vision of the organisation and the position of its members in the marketplace”.
“Remanufacturing – which we simply define as manufacturing with reuse – is sustainable by definition and responsible by design,” stated MERA president and chief operating officer John Chalifoux. “Our intent is to highlight the corporate social responsibility of manufacturing companies that produce high-quality goods – a second time – by reusing materials and conserving embodied energy in existing products.” MERA argues that its members come from diverse industries, and various terms are “used to describe an industry’s leading sustainable manufacturing process”. MERA says: “In the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors, the term is remanufacturing. In aviation and aerospace, the process is called maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO); in electronics, refurbishing is the established reference.” MERA chairman David Overbeeke, who is also president and CEO of Brake Parts and a board member of Remy Power Products, called it a “new era” the organisation. “Our members are leaders in the circular economy, and with this announcement we will be able to more clearly communicate both their manufacturing expertise and environmental stewardship.”
