Refurbisher Inrego: “Fully functioning IT products are often discarded”

Refurbished IT products from Inrego’s plant in Sweden are sold in more than 87 countries. We spoke to Erik Pettersson, Circular Innovation and Environmental Manager, and Katarina Magnusson, Key Account Manager at Inrego.

Erik feels that organizations and private individuals are very much more positive towards buying and selling second-hand now than they were 10 years ago. In recent years, Inrego’s turnover has seen annual growth of 20 percent. But so much more could be done. Erik and Katarina are in constant contact with companies that are about to dispose of fully functional IT equipment, despite the fact that these resources could generate income.

“There’s a big difference between used IT products and the refurbished products we sell because we replace worn components, erase hard disks, and test equipment to maintain quality,” says Katarina. “We delete all data stored on products securely, and sellers receive certificates confirming this. We then test the product and carry out upgrades and replace parts if necessary,” she adds. Why should an organization buy refurbished IT products? “I feel that many organizations haven’t thought about what they actually need in terms of performance. They buy the latest versions of devices but when I ask them exactly what it is they need to do their work, we can agree that buying reconditioned computers with equally good performance at lower prices is a perfectly acceptable alternative,” says Katarina.

She continues:
“When someone says that they only buy new, I get really interested. I ask them: ‘do you need new computers? And is it that the housing of the computer that you want to be new, or the software inside? Does a newer version of a computer make you better at your job? Or can you take the difference buying a used device would give you and invest it in something that actually develops you and your business? And you can protect the environment at the same time.’”

“I think that many organizations buy new because they lack knowledge and experience in this area. I’m seeing growing numbers of people using refurbished IT products having bought a computer or phone for example,” says Katarina.

To maintain quality, products are tested for functionality and defects. Worn components are replaced. Data stored on the product is deleted. The look of the products sold by a refurbisher vary, depending on how they have been handled by the previous owner.

Inrego buys, refurbishes and sells used IT equipment. The company was established in 1995, is headquartered in Sweden and has 170 employees.