NA Mk1 rear Sachs dampers white plastic bit

OK, No clue in instructions and really not obvious. Is the white plastic bit a shipping protector or part of the damper? It looks like a shipping part but doesn’t want to come off so thought I’d check before applying more force. sachs|375x500 .

I meant to be there, it’s a contact point for the bump stops.

Looks chuncky. Does that mean if that’s removed, the shock has more travel?

Spoke to Sachs technical. Initially they said remove it. I questioned that as it is on there firmly, they went to check at factory and came back with leave it, now part of the design, there was a metal version before. It does reduce the shock travel by about 3mm compared with originals but of course that’s nothing.