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Projects
Wuf has worked on the following projects:
Projects
In Facility Design And Operations, Market Identification,
And Market Development For Electronics Recyclers
Projects
In Recycling Infrastructure Development, In-House Logistics,
Transportation, And Identification of Recycling Service
Providers:
Projects
In Facility Design And Operations, Market Identification,
And Market Development For Electronics Recyclers Electronics Recycling for
Businesses For a wide variety of clients, ranging from small firms to Fortune 100 companies, Wuf
has provided comprehensive services to plan, establish, and manage in-house electronics
recycling. In some instances, Wuf's services have been as straightforward as identifying and qualifying potential vendors for surplus
equipment. In others, Wuf has provided comprehensive planning,
logistics, and implementation support to:
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identify equipment ready for recycling |
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establish internal recycling procedures |
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match specific equipment streams with appropriate recycling service
providers |
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and set up and manage the logistics and transportation arrangements required to move equipment "off the desktop" and into the most beneficial recycling channels. |
PC Replacement and Resale for General Electric. In an example of a Wuf electronics recycling assignment, Wuf principals managed the
logistics and resale process for a nationwide replacement by G.E. Capital of desktop computers with a combination of desktop and laptop systems. Issues addressed included:
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packaging
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inventory reconciliation
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hard drive disk wipe clean
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asset tag
removal
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product resale
warranty |
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co-ordination of installation/pick-up
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transportation
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serial number tracking
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product resale pricing.
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Accelerated Product Disposition for Surplus/Excess Computer Products. In many organizations, the time frame required for evaluating, re-deploying, storing and eventually disposing of surplus computers can last for months or years. Since the value of used computers tends to decline rapidly, such delays in disposing of surplus equipment can nearly eliminate the recovery value of the equipment in secondary markets. For major electronics manufacturers and other clients, Wuf has developed customized programs to streamline their computer disposition process and maximize net recoveries.
Recycling Surplus Electronic Equipment from the
U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Wuf principals have been retained to develop the infrastructure needed for cost-effective recovery and recycling of surplus computer and electronic (C&E) equipment generated by the USPS. Wuf staff are evaluating the sources and types of C&E generated, evaluating current disposition practices, assessing how planning for equipment retirement can be integrated into new equipment purchase decisions, identifying organizational and logistical barriers to recycling C&E, identifying and evaluating recycling options and markets, and identifying the most timely and cost effective means to move surplus C&E into a recycling stream.
Value Engineering Study - Recovering and Recycling Surplus Electronic Equipment from the U.S. Postal Service. Wuf provided information on: infrastructure development and management for recycling in an organization as large and complex as the postal service; forecasting equipment retirement and turnover rates; and the complex logistical demands that are generated by the need to very quickly identify, recover, and recycle equipment that loses value as rapidly as used electronics.
Testing and Reconfiguration of Used Computer Equipment Prior to Resale. For a major electronics manufacturer, Wuf implemented test procedures for products returned as "manufacturing defective" to separate working from defective units. Since used product prices vary widely based on condition code, the "tested good" products commanded prices that were double those attained for "defective" units. The incremental revenue to the generator from this program was $1.2 million during 1997-98.
Computer Product Consignment Program. The marketplace for computer equipment is volatile, with prices fluctuating rapidly due to new product introductions, short term supply/demand, and other industry trends. Avoiding the frequently low prices associated with open auctions, a Wuf principal developed and managed a product consignment program with several re-sellers, under which the manufacturer retained ownership of consigned inventory until it was resold to the end-user. The program generated at profit margins 100% above those from existing auction processes.
Product Disposition and Marketing for U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Electronic Equipment. Wuf principals have developed and implemented recycling programs for a variety of specialized USPS equipment, including hand held bar code scanners, electronic postal scales, and others. Wuf's services have included establishing optimal disassembly and recycling procedures, evaluating markets and market values for components and commodities, and selecting markets.
Municipal Programs to Recover and Recycle Used Electronic Equipment. Wuf staff have developed several programs to recover and recycle used electronic equipment generated by municipal residents, including some of the first residential collection pilot programs in the U.S. in Somerville, MA and Binghamton, NY.
Recycling Surplus Electronic Equipment Generated by Colleges and Universities. Wuf initiated a regional program to recover and recycle electronic equipment generated as waste by colleges and universities. Wuf works with individual schools to assess existing management procedures, evaluate the infrastructure and procedural changes required to move surplus electronics into a recycling stream, identify the most cost effective recycling options, and implement a comprehensive electronics management and recovery program.
PC Product Resale Process for Distributor Returns. Under contracts between a major computer manufacturer and its and distributors, distributors returned up to 10% of purchased inventory for credit. A Wuf principal developed and managed a resale process that acquired the returned product at a negotiated price and resold these products at a profit into the used computer marketplace.
Assistance Regarding Cathode Ray Tube Disposal and Disposition. Wuf provided assistance to a major waste hauler and disposal facility operator to identify environmental problems and regulatory issues associated with monitor landfill disposal, and to develop methods to divert monitors to proper disposition.
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Projects In Recycling Infrastructure Development, In-House Logistics,
Transportation, And Identification of Recycling Service
Providers : In addition to its assignments on behalf of generators of surplus electronic equipment, Wuf has been retained in a number of projects to plan, design, and establish full-service or specialized electronics recycling facilities. Perhaps no other aspect of Wuf's experience better demonstrates the breadth of our knowledge of the industry, and our detailed familiarity with all aspects of how best to adapt and meet generators' needs in this rapidly changing field. Specific project examples include:
Business Plan, Design, and Budget for a Full-Service Electronics Demanufacturing Facility. Wuf principals have been retained by a major end user of electronic equipment to develop business and operating plans and financial projections for a large scale full-service C&E recycling and demanufacturing facility. Wuf's responsibilities include preparing operational plans for phased development of the business, an input/output analysis for the materials handled by the facility, detailed process and activity descriptions, a labor force assessment, an analysis of markets for the facility's recycled products, an analysis of current and potential competition, and pro forma financial statements.
Market Assessment for an Electronics Recycling Facility. Wuf staff completed an assessment of the quantity and composition of used electronic equipment generated by government and institutional sources, and the feasibility of tapping these sources to provide feedstock for an electronics recycling facility in a major Northeastern city. Wuf estimated of the potential quantities and quality of equipment that could be sourced from these generators, and of the contractual and other factors involved in developing these sources to supply a new recycling facility.
Conceptual Design and Planning for an Electronics Eco-Industrial Park. A Wuf principal has played a central role in planning, identifying technologies, and organizing stakeholders to develop an eco-industrial park in the Southwest focused on the disposition of computer and electronic equipment. This project, currently advancing from planning into implementation, will link a wide variety of recycling technologies into the nation's first set of linked facilities capable of processing all materials found in electronic surplus from receiving through generation of marketable commodities and end products.
Process Development for a Full-Scale Electronics Recycling Facility. For a major full-service electronics recycler, a Wuf principal developed internal processes to reduce costs and/or ensure policy compliance, and managed relationships with external suppliers to develop a recycling network that provided appropriate tracking and environmental safeguards. Processes that were implemented internally included PC disk wipe clean, bar code lot tracking, and product resale. Services outsourced to third parties included hazardous material disposition, metals recovery, plastics recovery, printer test/resale, and component extraction.
Business Planning for a Monitor Disposition / Recycling Project. Wuf principals provided assistance with technology selection and business plan development for a monitor disposition facility in the Southwestern U.S. In addition, Wuf principals provided liaison with state regulators on operations and disposition issues, and assisted with site selection.
Financial Model and Operations Design for an Electronics Demanufacturing Facility. Wuf has been retained to prepare detailed operating plans and financial models for a major expansion to a cathode ray tube (CRT) and computer recycling facility. Wuf evaluated available recycling technologies, prepared operating plans, personnel plans, and equipment schedules, and developed the conceptual facility layout. Using this information, Wuf staff prepared a comprehensive financial model of the multiple operations proposed for the facility, including a staffing plan, startup and long-term capital requirements, and cash flow and income projections.
Recycling Facility Design for a For-Profit Electronics Recycling Facility. Wuf generated the facility layout and design and provided liaison with equipment manufacturers for a proprietary computer refurbishment process. Wuf worked directly with equipment manufacturers to develop facility specifications that fully integrated the refurbishing/recycling technology into the facility's operations.
Facility Design, Non-Profit Remanufacturing and Product Disposition Operation. For a non-profit seeking to establish an electronics recycling and refurbishment operation as a job creation and economic development enterprise, Wuf provided information about the C&E recycling industry, sources of raw materials supplies, end product markets, and regulatory issues. Wuf also developed floor plans and layout schematics for efficient flow of materials through the demanufacturing process, evaluated and specified equipment, and provided technical support as the facility successfully started up and expanded its operations.
Market Development Assistance for European Electronics Recycling Firms. (Client: U.S. Department of Commerce) Wuf was selected to provide market information and specific market development leads for firms from Lithuania, Croatia, and Russia that were seeking sources of surplus C&E for export from the U.S. to refurbishment / recycling facilities in these countries.
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