Re-manufacturing represents a higher form of reuse by focusing on value-added recovery, rather than materials recovery (i.e., recycling). Re-manufacturing systems are widespread in the United States and are profitable. However, the management of production planning and control activities can differ greatly from management activities in traditional manufacturing. We report on managerial re-manufacturing practices via a survey of production planning and control activities at re-manufacturing firms in the United States. Production planning and control activities are more complex for re-manufacturing firms due to uncertainties from stochastic product returns, imbalances in return and demand rates, and the unknown condition of returned products. We identify and discuss seven complicating characteristics that require significant changes in production planning and control activities. We also describe the research opportunities that exist for each of the complicating characteristics. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.