We take a tour of HPE’s Technology Renewal Centre to see how old tech is getting a second life

HPE's Technology Renewal Centre (TRC) in Erskine, Scotland, is a world-renowned e-waste processing facility that transforms old technology into usable products. Opened in the late 1980s, the 240,000 square foot facility has undergone several transformations since its inception, including becoming a renewal center in 2011. The centre is home to over 200 employees, all of whom have gone through Ministry of Defence-level security clearance.

The TRC plays a crucial role in HPE's Financial Services division by providing an affordable way for customers to obtain the latest hardware while ensuring their older devices do not end up in landfills. The centre processes around 150,000 assets each month, with 85% of servers and 97% of workstations and PCs sanitized, tested, and processed on-site. Overall, 84% of these assets are refurbished and returned to active use, with the remaining 16% responsibly recycled.

The TRC uses a customized version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 as its ERP system to track every component of every asset it receives, from its initial sanitization to its final shipment. The centre currently handles server racks and other high-end hardware, which can still be reconditioned and reused due to the increasing demand for AI computing.

Security is a top priority for the TRC, with all drives formatted and rewritten in accordance with the highest standards. The centre has overwritten approximately 1.6 million drives, sanitizing 1.7 exabytes of data – the equivalent of watching around 97 million years of HD movies.

HPE emphasizes sustainability at the TRC by using packaging made from 100% recycled materials. As a result, the company has prevented over 8.4 million kg of e-waste from going to landfills, equivalent to the annual e-waste generated by over a million people. By offering pre-loved or second-hand technology, HPE demonstrates that these products can be just as reliable and functional as new devices.