On Wednesday, March 26th, Sharepair partners Julia Knabe (TU Delft), Sonja van Dam (TU Delft) and Michelle Molema (AMS Institute) visited the premises of Circular IT Group (CITG) in Nieuwegein. During their visit, they learned about the company and discussed the upcoming project, including potential collaboration partners and the timeline they have in mind. Erwin van der Valk, Sharepair practices partner from CITG, guided them through their warehouse, showcasing various stations, from where laptops and other IT equipment are received and inspected to where refurbished laptops are photographed and packaged to look like new products.

A tour around the warehouse

In their visit, they also discussed several issues related to the use of IT equipment in companies, such as the material of laptop casings, password policies, matching equipment to the appropriate user persona, and the right transportation of bulky IT equipment to refurbishment facilities like CITG.

Who is CITG? By extending the life cycle of IT hardware, the company reduces e-waste, conserves valuable raw materials, and lowers the environmental impact of IT consumption. Their approach supports the transition to a circular economy by promoting the reuse and refurbishment of IT equipment, minimizing the need for new resources and reducing carbon emissions.

Within ShaRepair Practices, CITG serves as a Living Lab Case Owner, collaborating with academic institutions like TU Delft and AMS Institute, as well as municipalities such as Amsterdam, Arnhem, and Nijmegen. Their role involves testing and scaling circular IT practices in real-world settings, providing valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of reusing and refurbishing IT equipment.