We have identified and described seven complicating characteristics of production planning and control activities for re-manufacturing firms. The characteristics give focus to efforts in developing new systems for re-manufacturing production planning and control. Firms use hybrid production planning and control systems to control operations catering to diverse markets. Most firms use a variety of product positioning strategies and this further complicates the problems of planning, controlling and managing operations. We also note that re-manufacturing represents a much larger industrial segment than previously thought, and is deserving of full attention by academics from all areas