Sumitomo Corporation and its U.S. subsidiary, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, have taken an equity stake in GreenTek Solutions, LLC (headquartered in Texas, U.S.A.), a provider of IT equipment reuse and recycling services (IT Asset Disposition: ITAD), making it an equity-method affiliate (an equity-method affiliate is an investee company in which a certain percentage of voting rights is held, giving the investor significant influence over management). Through this investment, the Sumitomo Corporation Group states that it will enter the business segment responsible for the circular use of IT equipment — centred on data centre hardware — and contribute to the advancement of resource circulation.
Founded in 2012, GreenTek is an IT equipment reuse and recycling company based in Texas, U.S.A. With resale of data centre equipment as its core business, the company provides an integrated service covering collection, data erasure, resale and recycling, and has a track record of transactions with major U.S. corporations. The company holds internationally recognised certifications in quality management, information security and environmental compliance, and has established rigorous data management and environmental response systems. It also ensures traceability from equipment collection through to final disposal via its proprietary systems. GreenTek has processed more than 1.2 million units to date, contributing to the reduction of electronic waste and the suppression of greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, the global construction and expansion of data centres has accelerated alongside the proliferation of AI and cloud computing. Against the backdrop of growing data centre demand, the refresh cycles for IT equipment such as servers and storage devices are shortening, and the need for appropriate processing and reuse of end-of-life equipment is rising rapidly. Because data centre equipment requires advanced processing capabilities and security measures, demand for highly specialised operators is increasing, making this a field with strong growth expectations.
According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024, published in 2024 by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a record 62 billion kg of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2022, a significant increase from 34 billion kg in 2010. While this figure is projected to rise to 82 billion kg by 2030, only 22.3% is being formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound manner.
Through this investment, the Sumitomo Corporation Group intends to support GreenTek’s business expansion while leveraging the company’s expertise and service infrastructure to create new businesses that maximise value across the entire lifecycle of IT equipment. This move can be seen as a general trading company — which has traditionally handled the procurement stage through IT equipment sales and leasing — now entering the reuse and recycling space of collecting and redistributing end-of-life equipment. Going forward, the Group states that it will use its U.S. business base as a springboard to pursue global business development, including in Japan, and will promote the construction of a circular supply chain through the circular use of IT equipment.
【Source】Investment in U.S.-based GreenTek Solutions, Entering the IT Equipment Reuse and Recycling Business
【Source】The global E-waste Monitor 2024 – Electronic Waste Rising Five Times Faster than Documented E-waste Recycling: UN
【Source】THE GLOBAL E-WASTE MONITOR 2024
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