The board of directors of the Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association (MERA) approved a significant amendment to its bylaws that welcomes members from all remanufacturing industries. The change to MERA’s bylaws also was approved by the board of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). MERA is the remanufacturing and sustainability division of MEMA.

The changes to the MERA bylaws include adding a class of membership for cross-industry remanufacturers. In addition, core or component supplier companies and professional services firms that serve various industries may also join the association. From an association governance point of view, cross-industry remanufacturer members are eligible to serve on the MERA Board of Directors.

“By opening our membership to more leading remanufacturing companies, MERA is making a strategic shift in its global strategy,” said MERA Chairman Peter Butterfield, who also chairman and CEO of Omega Environmental Technologies, a supplier member of MERA. “We are excited to announce this change and know that this openness will lead to a stronger voice for the remanufacturing industry.”

“MERA recognizes that remanufacturing is a growth industry, and a more diverse membership will help MERA continue to raise the awareness and acceptance of remanufactured goods,” added John Chalifoux, president and chief operating officer, MERA. “Many of the opportunities and challenges faced by our members are common across industry sectors.”

Recent reports and actions from the U.S. federal government support the fact that the remanufacturing industry is growing in size and acceptance. In 2012, the U.S. International Trade Commission issued its first-ever report on the remanufacturing industry, concluding that the United States is the world’s largest producer, consumer and exporter of remanufactured goods. In addition, the report defined remanufacturing as an industrial process that restores end-of-life goods to original working (“like new”) condition, and it found that remanufacturing occurs across a diverse range of industry sectors in the United States.

In 2014, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ruled that “remanufactured” is different from “rebuilt.” Two years earlier, MERA and MEMA asked the FTC during an open comments period to amend their “Used Auto Parts Guides” to reflect the reality that remanufacturing has more in common with new-manufacturing than it does with any other process.

Then, in October 2015, President Obama signed the Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act. This new law requires federal agencies to prioritize the use of remanufactured parts when servicing the federal civilian vehicle fleet. MERA and MEMA were influential in the creation and advancement of this successful legislation.

“MEMA has a long tradition of advocating on behalf of the motor vehicle supplier industry, and we continue to focus on serving our core constituency,” remarked Steve Handschuh, president and CEO, MEMA. “The MEMA Board approved the MERA bylaws change in support of MEMA members that operate in the remanufacturing industry.”