Evaluation of the Applicability of the Circular Economy and the Product-Service System Model in a Bearing Supplier Company

Today, for most applications in industry, the overall goal of manufacturers and users is to completely rethink and improve reliability and sustainability. In relation to the performance of rotating equipment, examples of ongoing trends and related activities driven by major machine manufacturers include, among other things, saving resources by extending the service life and intervals of individual components on machines, increasing use of the minimum amount of lubrication and the growing focus on reusing, retrofitting and upgrading equipment. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the Circular Economy model of a bearing manufacturing company (Product as a Service: SKF Rotation for Life) using the ReSOLVE framework and five sustainability factors for PSS (Product-Service System) business models. Through the data obtained in the case study, it is possible to observe the link that exists between the models of the Circular Economy and PSS and how, through the reconditioning of bearings as one of the key strategies to achieve a Circular Economy, to reduce, reuse and recycle material, the company can provide services rather than products, focusing on optimizing asset performance and helping to improve the sustainable performance of industrial equipment.