IT Hardware Refurbishment and Sustainability in the IT Sector – Digitalisation World

Recently our Group IT Director, Rich Kenny spoke with Phil Alsop from Digitalisation World about the refurbished IT market during Covid-19. From exciting server performance findings, to getting more out of business laptops, and reducing the environmental impact of digital transformation, Rich gave a great insight into the technology sector.

You can watch the interview below:

Key takeaways:

  • Techbuyer specialises in sustainable IT solutions. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when sources for new IT equipment were limited and people needed remote working solutions quickly, demand for refurbished equipment increased. Techbuyer has found that once customers tried refurbished, many came back to buy again.
  • “Historically, refurb hasn’t been the first option for people buying technology,” says Rich. “There is a lack of awareness about the benefits of the secondary market. For instance, at Techbuyer we test every single component, have a lower failure rates than OEMs, and provide three-year warranties. In other words, you can get the same performance and protection as buying new but at a lower cost.”
  • Techbuyer’s research in association with University of East London has proved that refurbished servers perform as good as new, and that Moore’s Law is slowing down. This means that the tradition of only buying or upgrading with new IT equipment is no longer valid.
  • 99% of our business is refurbished tech,” says Rich. “The refurbishment process takes a lot of knowledge building and technical ability, but it’s more rewarding than selling new, and much better for the environment.”
  • The IT industry can make environmental improvements by reusing equipment wherever possible. “As long as you are adopting circular practices, IT and sustainability are compatible.”

Techbuyer is a sustainable IT solutions specialist. Based in Harrogate, UK, we have grown from a company of just two people to a global supplier with over 180 staff across seven sites in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific. We maximise our clients’ IT budgets by providing quality refurbished IT solutions, including data centre equipment, PCs and laptops, as well as buying used IT equipment from businesses. Find out more here.