Why reusing ICT equipment simply makes sense!

As environmental issues become increasingly important, companies need to assess the impact of their business on the environment. This means addressing not only the appropriate disposal of consumables such as paper and disposables, but also that of complex devices such as information and computer technology (ICT). ICT devices are extremely resource and energy intensive in their manufacture. Although their lifespan can be considerable, they will eventually need to be replaced. However, the disposal of ICT devices presents many challenges. They contain elements such as cadmium, mercury and lead, as well as precious metals such as copper and gold. Treating this like ordinary waste is therefore not only wasteful of resources, but in many cases not possible due to hazardous materials regulations. Disposing of the equipment therefore usually incurs additional costs that were rarely included in the initial investment for the equipment. Many companies nevertheless pay the bill for the work involved, which makes no sense from either a business or an ecological point of view.

But there is a way not only to get back some of the money invested, but also to reduce your own ecological footprint. In most cases, the lifespan specified by the manufacturer is deliberately designed to be short in order to enable the manufacturer to continue doing business. In practice, however, active network components such as routers, switches and access points in particular can be used for far longer. This not only avoids the unnecessary creation of electronic waste, but also gives smaller companies access to high-end technologies that would normally break their budgets. Remarketing the devices is therefore an efficient and responsible way to solve the problem of recycling.

Another approach to the problem is to prevent the creation of electronic waste (WEEE) from the outset by using refurbished ICT equipment. When it is time to expand or upgrade the existing infrastructure, it is therefore worthwhile to first carefully define the required specifications. In many cases, most, if not all, of these can be met with refurbished ICT equipment at a much lower capital cost. Even if they are not state of the art, it is not essential to have, and consequently pay for, cutting edge technology. In addition to the initial savings, the value remains stable, reducing further losses due to depreciation and asset management issues. Furthermore, it is much cheaper to operate as spare parts and upgrades are plentiful at competitive prices. Especially in light of recent supply chain issues across ICT, the importance of the maintenance factor is becoming increasingly important.

The experience we have gained over the last 30 years has shown time and time again that delivering projects with refurbished network ICT not only delivers significant capital savings, but also expands the scope of projects by optimising the use of budget. With our extensive broker network, as well as our in-house refurbishment and continent-wide deployment capabilities, we can help you both remarket your existing ICT network equipment and deliver your project without breaking the budget.