Choosing the right IT asset disposition (ITAD) provider is crucial for any organization aiming to manage its retired IT assets responsibly. The right provider can help maximize asset value, ensure data security, and support sustainability goals.
To save you time and money, we thoroughly researched the services provided by 8 major ITAD providers and hardware manufacturers offering ITAD services. We read through their ITAD policies, scoured all their publicly available documentation, and read all the fine print we could find. This information was completely accurate when our research was completed in April 2024. In this article, we will discuss Sims Lifecycle Services' ITAD offerings.
Sims' ITAD Services: An Overview
Sims Lifecycle Services specializes in ITAD, with a focus on coordinated e-waste recycling and asset disposition with a strong emphasis on data security, regulatory and corporate compliance, value recovery, and sustainability. Sims prioritizes refurbishment before recycling to advance sustainability goals and provides useful information to help improve your company’s asset management and ITAD processes.
Range of Assets Accepted and Online Tools
Sims processes a wide range of electronics, including computers, peripherals, data center equipment, phones, and tablets. However, it was unclear if they would accept all assets.
Sims does not provide an online valuation tool for uploading asset lists or determining potential value. Instead, they offer a brochure to help prepare for the ITAD process, and you can contact them via their online contact form.
ITAD Collection Services
Sims offers packaging and transport of IT assets to an SLS processing facility. They provide two shipping options: economy cargo for non-data-bearing assets and point-to-point shipping in sealed containers for data-bearing assets to ensure an uninterrupted chain of custody.
Data Destruction Services
Sims offers both on-site and off-site data destruction services, including data erasure, degaussing, and hard drive crushing for smaller projects. They record and validate all serial numbers against client inventory lists for audit trails and final inventory reconciliation. Sims complies strictly with NIST 800-88 standards and offers same-day certificates of data destruction.
Reporting Procedures
Sims provides a web-based portal for accessing all documentation, including certificates of responsible recycling and financial reports for invoicing, billing, and settlement. The portal tracks devices from the time the order is placed through final disposition and accommodates multi-site tracking for each location. Sims offers audit trail assistance with risk management.
Recycling and E-Waste Policies
Sims prioritizes refurbishing and redeploying assets within your organization or reselling them to other companies. Products with no residual value are responsibly recycled. Sims is regularly audited by local, regional, and federal environmental organizations and holds R2 recycling certifications.
Sims operates a worldwide network of certified e-waste recycling centers with no export mandates, offering a closed-loop approach to recycling e-waste. This ensures that your assets do not end up with unregulated recyclers, aligning with the Basel Convention, which prohibits the international transportation of hazardous wastes.
Chain of Custody Tracking
Sims employs formalized checkpoints and standardized documentation and paperwork, with all facilities operating under a single inventory management and accounting system. They use subcontractors with an auditing system to ensure transparency and cradle-to-grave accountability. While Sims states that chain of custody documentation is available, it is unclear if customers can track it online in real-time, as no portal demonstration was offered.
Cash Value
Sims does not advertise cash-back value for resold assets, instead stating that the resale value may offset handling and data destruction costs. This may imply that their service costs will exceed residual asset value.
The Fine Print
Sims provides clear explanations, leaving little to the fine print. The main fine print that we found was about some specialty services only being available regionally.
Evaluating Sims ITAD Services
When evaluating Sims' ITAD services, several things become apparent. Sims excels in providing comprehensive services, from decommissioning and data destruction to refurbishment and resale. Their robust data security measures and closed-loop approach to recycling are significant advantages.
However, the lack of an online asset valuation tool and the need to contact them directly for asset lists can be inconvenient for some users. Additionally, while Sims offers comprehensive reporting through their portal, the lack of clarity in the ability to track the chain of custody in real time could be a drawback for those requiring immediate transparency.
Find Out How We Can Help
If you are an enterprise, government, or institution looking for ITAD solutions or if you have additional questions, please contact us at ICT. Also, check out our white paper on Sim’s ITAD services for more information on the research we conducted.
Summary Chart of Sim’s ITAD Services
Selected References
Basel Convention. (2011). Www.basel.int. https://www.basel.int/TheConvention/Overview/tabid/1271/Default.aspx
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ICT AI (n.d.) ICT Mission Reuse AI Online Tool. Retrieved February 1, 2024, https://itad.ai/
ICT Mission Reuse (n.d.) ICT Mission Reuse. Retrieved February 2, 2024, https://mission-reuse.com/
Kissel, R., Regenscheid, A., Scholl, M., & Stine, K. (2014, December 17). Guidelines for Media Sanitization. Csrc.nist.gov. https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/88/r1/final
SERI (2020). R2 - Sustainable Electronics Recycling International. https://sustainableelectronics.org/r2/
Sims Certifications (n.d.) Sims Lifecycle Services. Retrieved February 2, 2024, from https://www.simslifecycle.com/about-us/certifications/
Sims Equipment We Process (n.d.). Sims Lifecycle Services. https://www.simslifecycle.com/about-us/equipment-we-process/
Sims ITAD. (n.d.). Sims Lifecycle Services. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://www.simslifecycle.com/business/itad/
Sims IT Asset Recovery. (n.d.). Sims Lifecycle Services. Retrieved February 2, 2024, from https://www.simslifecycle.com/business/it-asset-recovery/
Sims Reporting (n.d.) Sims Lifecycle Services. https://www.simslifecycle.com/business/reporting/
SLS ITAD Maturity Model Overview Guide to Optimizing Your IT Asset Disposition Program. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2024, from https://sls-1.s3.amazonaws.com/SLS+ITAD+Maturity+Model.pdf
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