When you think of recycling, you may think of glass, plastic, paper and aluminum. But did you know that 47% of the hard parts on your vehicle can be recycled, too? This is called re-manufacturing.

"During this process, the worn part is actually re-manufactured to 'like new' condition," according to Ana Grou, manager of mechanical engineering at CARDONE Industries, a leading re-manufacturer of automotive parts.

A good example of this process would be a water pump. The body, shaft, impeller and hub don't wear out and can be reused. In the remanufacturing process, they are thoroughly cleaned, inspected for any form of damage, then get a new protective finish. Bearings are tested and replaced with new when necessary. Seals are replaced 100% with original equipment quality seals, and the "like new" assembly is ready for resale.

While all of these "remanned" parts meet original specifications, it's not unusual for many of them to exceed the original specs. Remanufacturers see the cause of failure and often have the opportunity to fix it.

"Our manufacturing processes are backed by the same quality systems as the original equipment manufacturers," explained Michael Cardone, Jr., president and CEO. "In fact, CARDONE Industries is the first remanufacturer to be QS9000 and ISO9002 certified. As a result, the warranty on our parts is often times better than those on new parts. Most of our parts come with a lifetime warranty, to ensure satisfactory performance."

So what's the primary difference between new and remanned parts? We call it the three E's: Economy, Ecology and Energy conservation.