Cat^® Reman And The People Who Remanufacture

Lozano, Bo and Salgado perform different jobs in locations on separate continents. Yet, when we asked them questions about working at Caterpillar remanufacturing facilities, they shared remarkably similar and equally impactful stories. First, they love what they do and care about how their contributions to remanufacturing help support the work being done in countless other industries. But that’s not everything. Here are three other common themes that emerged from our conversations.

Safety First And Always

Making sure each employee can go home safely every day is a top priority at all Caterpillar remanufacturing facilities.

For Lucas Salgado, it’s his job.

Salgado is an environmental, health and safety (EHS) analyst in Piracicaba, Brazil, where Caterpillar remanufactures cylinder heads and sets. “On a typical day, we start with a 10-minute conversation about safety and quality,” Salgado says, “to reinforce safe behavior and active care for each other.” Then, he spends the rest of his day visiting various workstations, looking for opportunities to promote preventive and corrective actions among team members “to help them improve their work environment.”

What drives his commitment to safety? Well, EHS roles in Brazil are regulated by the government and require a federal credential to perform. Salgado has gone above and beyond that obligation to help protect Piracicaba employees. In addition to holding degrees in production engineering, occupational safety and security projects, ergonomics and legal labor law, he trained as a firefighter and emergency professional. Most importantly, Salgado leads by example, focused on improving his own contributions to remanufacturing incrementally by “doing 1% better every day.”

There’s a similar commitment to employee well-being in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, where Gaby Lozano serves as a production manager. Like Salgado, Lozano also addresses safety in daily staff meetings, saying, it’s “the most important topic for Caterpillar, for me and my work team.” Yet, while Salgado sees a “universe of possibilities” in his safety role, Lozano doesn’t focus exclusively on the subject. Instead, she manages 40 employees who remanufacture fuel injectors used in Cat engines, saying she enjoys “solving the challenges that my team faces every day.” Lozano explains, “my favorite part of my job is leading change.”

Never Stop Learning

Speaking of change, customers expect Cat Reman parts to perform like new, and there’s no room for error. That’s why the design and processes behind Cat Reman products are capable of evolving to meet new challenges faced by customers all over.

The key to excellence? A “never stop learning” attitude.

Lin Bo, an engineer in Shanghai, China, is a perfect example of that philosophy. She joined Caterpillar’s remanufacturing team 17 years ago, right out of college. Bo acknowledges it took time to grasp the various, complex efforts that go into remanufacturing cylinder heads and injectors. Now, she’s fully immersed in the process, whether she’s “networking on a purchase of a new valve machine” or “making sure supply chains are [in good condition].” That said, she still gains new knowledge every day.

A simple piece of advice she received from a mentor early in her career has always stuck with her.

“She told me I should go to the workshop more to learn,” Bo says. “You can’t expect to get everything from books and online courses. To get out and learn from the real world is a great thing.”

Lozano gives similar advice, recommending that future remanufacturing employees “commit from day one, identify their talent and strengths. You are the only one responsible for your career plan.” Salgado agrees, saying that when people keep their minds and hearts open to learning from one another, "we make a stronger, more unbeatable team."

Pride in the Purpose

For all three of these employees — and their remanufacturing teammates around the world — there's great satisfaction in knowing their work offers sustainability benefits that support a better world.

Lozano, who started her career at Caterpillar in a lean manufacturing role, appreciates the efficiency of the remanufacturing process and how it results in an affordable alternative to new parts. She believes that Cat Reman helps customers run more competititve businesses while also contributing positively to a circular economy.

Bo and Salgado agree, pointing to how Cat Reman helps reduce waste and uses less process energy and fewer raw materials than traditional manufacturing.

People and Process: The Cat Reman Difference

Safe workplaces. Quality products. Meaningful work. It's no wonder Gaby Lozano, Lin Bo and Lucas Salgado are proud to call themselves Cat Reman employees. We're honored to have them — and thousands of others like them — on our team.

Want to know more about the products that are the result of their hard work? Explore our Cat Reman hub for all the details.