RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC ? June 17, 2008: Lenovo today introduced Lenovo Asset Recovery Services (ARS), a new set of services to help business customers in the U.S. and Canada manage their end-of-life technology equipment by providing computer take-back, data destruction, refurbishment and recycling. Lenovo also offers additional services including inventory, value assessment, on-site deinstallation and data encryption. Lenovo can facilitate donation of the old computers or can help customers receive cash back for them. After three years, typically, a customer can receive 10 to 15 percent of the value back of the original purchase price of the computer.1
With this eco-solution, customers can fulfill green information technology commitments knowing their equipment is disposed of in a secure and environmentally-responsible way. The computers are discarded with data destruction performed according to the U.S. Department of Defense standards. According to Gartner, managing data security and privacy risks followed by environmental risks are top customer concerns when it comes to computer disposal.2 And of customers surveyed, they cited convenience and ease of use as a top reason for picking an external disposal provider. The new service gives customers an end-to-end solution from Lenovo from the point of computer purchase to take-back and disposal. Lenovo?s expertise in managing the end-of-life computers can help customers eliminate the time and expense of managing the disposal themselves.
As the number of computers increases in the U.S. and older ones are retired, recycling programs are helping give new life to end-of-life products. Lenovo first prioritizes refurbishment and reuse and then focuses on recycling. In 2007, Lenovo managed or financed the proper disposal of more than 38 million pounds, or the weight of more than 7.6 million bricks, of Lenovo owned or customer returned computer equipment. More than 93 percent of that was reused as products or recycled as materials.
Many of the recovered computer materials are recycled into new products, such as automobiles, park benches, concrete filler and even into some Lenovo products. Lenovo expects adding the ARS to its existing take back programs will help grow customer returns by more than 30 percent in 2008. Lenovo also offers recycling options to individual consumers in the U.S. and other countries around the world.
As part of Lenovo?s Environmentally Conscious Products Program, the company considers the environment when designing its products by making them close to 100 percent recyclable, using recycled materials where possible and making them more energy-efficient.
?The Lenovo Asset Recovery Services is one more step in our commitment to being good stewards of our environment,? said Fran O?Sullivan, senior vice president, product group, Lenovo. ?We?re focused on greening the entire lifecycle of our computers, from increasing the lifespan and designing for upgradeability to improving energy efficiency. We?ve made considerable progress with our EPEAT Gold-rated notebooks, desktops and monitors thus far and are striving to expand our portfolio of Gold-rated products.?
Lenovo has introduced several products that meet the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool?s (EPEAT) Gold rating. They include the ThinkCentre A61e and M57/M57p eco desktops, the ThinkPad X300 notebook and more than nine ThinkVision monitors including the ThinkVision L193p, the first EPEAT Gold-rated monitor in the industry.
Pricing and Availability3
Pricing for the standard Asset Recovery Service package varies with customer requirements. The service will be available beginning June 30 to businesses with limited support for their multi-national operations. ARS will be sold through Lenovo sales representatives.
About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building the world?s best engineered personal computers. Lenovo?s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group?s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.
1Assuming 5% depreciation/month and normal wear. 5% based on Gartner report: PC Disposal Cost Update 2005: Mitigation Risks, November, 2005, Frances O?Brien and Meike Escherich.
2IT Asset Management Conference 2006 Survey Results: IT Asset Disposition, December 2006, Frances O?Brien.
3Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.
