On this page you can find some background information on, and the history of, IT-recycling.
The concept for IT-recycling was established by one of the owners, Steef Stadelmaier (1964). Steef’s profession is actually that of electrician, and that of anything-and-everything technician. And started working with outdated hardware in 1994 already.
The idea to pick up old computers was born from wanting to establish an environmental concept next to an international wholesale as well as retail selling old computers, around 1998. At first, it was a marginal operation on the side, when we picked up a few old computers here and there using a simple van. The operation was amateurish, actually the way most of our colleagues still operate today.
Around 2005 the wholesale as well as the shop was on the decline and slowly but surely our focus shifted to service provision for depreciated hardware.
And we professionalised the business. ISO9001 was introduced, which raised the strategic management of the company to a higher level. Over time, we also introduced a proper logistics system. The van got assistance from trucks and we introduced a packaging system. The data destruction process was optimised. IT-recycling was the first organisation in the BENELUX to use the Blancco data-wipe software. And we introduced improved software for many other processes as well.
Around 2006 Ara Nalbanyan (1970) bought 50% of the shares. Ara had previously been a company manager in the agricultural industry.
We have constantly been working on the improvement of the quality of our service provision. Improved logistics, improved customer information, and the planning system has also been continuously improved. We have been working with a hard disk sanitiser since 2012, for faster and improved software data destruction. And we have been working on writing our own company software since 2013.
IT-recycling has always been committed to be fully compliant with all the legal requirements. We have turned full compliance with legal requirements into a unique selling point, if only because we are the only ones in the Netherlands who truly abides by all the rules. For example, we were the first with a VIHB registration, one of the first to hold an environmental permit, the first to be registered in the National WEEE register, one of the first with a LMA connection and, again (you will not be surprised to find) the first to hold the coveted WEEELABEX certificate.
We distinguish ourselves by our high level of professionalism and customer-friendliness. Our customer base consists of some 4000 companies and organisations in truly all the sectors you can think of. This ranges from large factories to the drugstore around the corner, and from ministries to sports clubs.
According to clients such as the Dutch organisation for Environmental Defence and Greenpeace, our operation is truly environmentally friendly. According to our client, LIDL, we are cost-conscious. According to our client, Notary Brotherhood, we have organised our legal affairs well. The International Court of Justice and the Central Fine Collection Agency considers our process for date destruction sufficiently safe and secure. The Bilderberg and Kurhaus hotels consider us to be customer-friendly and kind. To name but a few.
Our clients find us through the internet and by recommendations from others clients. Our clients are very loyal and some of our clients have been using our services to have their old computers picked up for the past 15 years already. We never bother people by calling them on the telephone to push our services on them; we only visit someone when we are asked to do so. We do not close contracts and there are no strings attached for our clients. We are not a subscription service.
Our service provision is at the top level of the market. The level of service we provide to our clients is unprecedented in the Netherlands.
Just as you can see in the best restaurants, the chef is still active in our kitchen. This means that it should not surprise you to find either Ara or Steef themselves to jump out of the truck wearing their steel work shoes when they arrive for our appointment with you.
IT-recycling deals with old hardware, and we have colleagues who do the same thing. You can compare this to the local football club, they play football. But there is also Real Madrid, they also play football.