Sims Lifecycle Services
Maximizing Value through Circular IT Lifecycle Solutions

In a world where technology turnover is rapid, Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS) leads the way in sustainable IT asset disposition (ITAD) with their innovative ITAD Plus approach. SLS maximizes the value of a retired IT asset by extending its life and re-engineering IT for redeployment.

Their range of innovative and nimble services transforms aging technology through expert repurposing and meticulous refurbishment, maximizing recovery value and reducing waste. The prime focus is secure data destruction, global regulatory compliance and environmental sustainability. Clients are provided with a secure chain of custody, providing tracking and visibility into how assets are managed.

“We ensure that every piece of technology is handled responsibly while contributing to a circular economy,” says Ingrid Sinclair, global president.

SLS meets clients where they are. With Circular Centers located worldwide, businesses, data centers and electronics manufacturers can effortlessly recycle e-waste, decommission obsolete equipment and manage the material lifecycle. They scale their services with clients' rapid-scale operations by establishing a Circular Center near a client facility for custom equipment recovery projects, ensuring rapid and localized service deployment.

Unlocking Retired It Asset Potential

Consistent service on a global scale is the hallmark of SLS’ strategically located Circular Centers. Regardless of their location, every client receives high-quality service every time. The consistency is maintained through standardized processes, a unified inventory management and accounting system, and globally compliant programs backed by robust security protocols and certifications. Clients benefit from a complete audit trail via standardized documentation and comprehensive reporting.

SLS follows a step-by-step methodology to convert decommissioned assets into high-value solutions. The team begins by working closely with businesses to understand their needs.

Cloud data centers and hyperscalers trust SLS for customized solutions for decommissioning racks, repurposing retired equipment and destroying data on-site or off-site. SLS picks up the packed assets from client facilities and ships them to Circular Centers.

Upon reception at their Circular Centers, every asset is processed uniformly through standardized operating procedures. It is assessed and graded after secure data destruction, repaired, and refurbished for repurposing and redeployment. SLS inventories used servers and upgrades them to client specifications. They hold the partial or near-completed servers and when the client orders equipment with a particular configuration, they install the required components and complete the order.

SLS guides clients on how custom-built original-design servers and processors can be best repurposed by harvesting parts for resale, destroying proprietary components, redeploying assets to company-owned locations or securely recycling to protect intellectual property. SLS integrates numerous technologies, including robotics, virtual reality, and machine learning, to provide solutions capable of handling massive volumes of IT equipment and electronic assets.

We ensure that every piece of technology is handled responsibly while contributing to a circular economy

For electronic OEMs, SLS reimagines supply chains by extending product, part and material lifecycles. They supply manufacturing-grade recycled feedstock to replace virgin materials, manage reverse logistics to recover value from returned equipment through returns management and spare parts recovery, and support extended producer responsibility requirements. SLS' global smelter partnerships help with advanced recycling, refining of recovered metals and certified destruction of prototypes, proprietary equipment or recalled products.

Strong client relationships help the company anticipate challenges and optimize capital costs through strategic asset redeployment. In 2021, when supply chains were constrained, SLS engaged with a client to repair, upgrade, test, and repurpose decommissioned IT equipment for high-volume hyperscale data center applications. Embarking on a proof-of-concept Circular Center project with the client, they transformed an underutilized West Chicago warehouse that was formerly dedicated solely to electronics recycling into a manufacturing-like facility optimized for hyperscale data center materials. Within three months, this site was converted into a climate-controlled environment that precisely met their client’s needs. This successful pilot fostered a strong client relationship, paving the way for another fully scaled Circular Center in Nashville. The team is currently implementing robotics to streamline the client's rack decommissioning and efficiently repurpose server equipment in the data center.

Client satisfaction is a top priority for SLS. An integrated accounting system, robust security protocols and certificates of data destruction ensure full accountability and compliance. Underpinning high-quality service is their array of ISO certifications, from ISO 27001 for data security and quality to adherence to NIST 800-88 r1 standards for data destruction. All digital data on storage devices is completely destroyed, safeguarding proprietary information and meeting corporate and regulatory requirements.

Documentation Meets Environmental Stewardship

Comprehensive documentation is a cornerstone of operations. SLS offers a dedicated portal to provide clients with on-demand access to essential documentation, order tracking and comprehensive reporting, including revenue share details when applicable. Data integration and production data visualization are central to their services, enabling them to map and build custom solutions via API and EDI.

A perfect combination of smart and disciplined operating principles and industry-leading infrastructure enhances clients' bottom lines and helps them achieve their sustainability goals.

A steward of environmental sustainability, SLS uses renewable electricity across all Circular Centers, achieving a 72 percent reduction in operational emissions compared to their fiscal year 2020 baseline. In fiscal year 2024, SLS repurposed 6.1 million electronic units, a 60 percent increase over the previous year, which prevented 740 kilotons of carbon emissions. While emphasizing redeployment and reuse to extend asset life, the company also enhances recycling efforts. For instances when assets reach end-of-life or require secure destruction, SLS has established industry partnerships to recover rare earth metals from decommissioned hard disk drives, further promoting circularity and maximizing value.

With their global network of Circular Centers, SLS transforms retired IT assets into strategic advantages, driving innovation and sustainability in the circular economy.