TOUGHBOOK and Circular Computing join forces to transform the sustainability of rugged computing

BRACKNELL, UK. 8th November 2021 – Panasonic TOUGHBOOK and Circular Computing today announced a partnership that will transform the sustainability of rugged computing. The leading European rugged mobile computing provider has teamed with the creators of the world’s first remanufactured laptops to create a more ethical, sustainable and socially responsible way to prolong the use of its rugged technology.

Circular Computing will remanufacture TOUGHBOOK devices – starting with the TOUGHBOOK G1 tablet with expected availability in mid-2022. The organisation will take legacy TOUGHBOOK devices and remanufacture them for a useful second life – massively increasing sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. The first remanufactured G1 device is expected to deliver 316kgs in carbon emissions savings per device as it’s given a second useful life.

Circular Computing will take each device and put it through an extensive 5+ hour remanufacturing process and 360-point quality check to deliver unrivalled quality and consistency. Devices will be remanufactured to BS8887 standards by fully qualified technicians within Circular Computing’s purpose-built state of the art production facility.

Circular Computing, with the world’s first BSI KITEMARK certified remanufacturing process for laptops, will guarantee consistent quality of the same model in large volumes and, with comprehensive cosmetic detailing, every TOUGHBOOK will be refinished to exacting quality standards. Circular Computing’s remanufactured consumer laptops are already popular with environmentally aware organisations, the education sector, and small, medium organisations with budget constraints.

Kevin Jones, Director of Operations at Panasonic Mobile Business Solutions Europe, said: “We are very proud to be the first rugged computing provider to embrace this environmentally sustainable opportunity with Circular Computing. Our aim is that in the future our customers and our channel providers need never throw another TOUGHBOOK device away.”

Rod Neale, founder of Circular Computing added “For years the IT channel has tried to legitimately provide product that has been used, by calling it refurbished or grade ‘A’ but the consumer needs assurances and consistency which you just don’t get from a refurbished product. Circular Computing was set up to bring the same level of consistency in supply scale and condition as the brand-new channel. In this way we can supply the customer with the most sustainable laptop on the planet and deliver all their technology needs, all whilst not asking them to take any risk on the products cosmetic, technical or warranty performance. This agreement with Panasonic is great news for the industry, the consumer and for us as a company.”

“It is a much more complex operation to remanufacture a rugged device over a regular laptop but both organisations were committed to solving the issues and contributing to a better world through the sustainable use of technology.”

Once the first remanufactured TOUGHBOOK model is available, work on other popular models in the range will follow. For further information, visit: www.circularcomputing.com

Panasonic Press Contact:
The Amber Group
Kiri O’Leary
kiri@ambergroup.net
+44 (0)1183 340224

Circular Computing Press Contact:
The Academy PR
circularcomputing@theacademypr.com
+44 (0)20 7100 7100

About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a global leader developing innovative technologies and solutions for wide-ranging applications in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B sectors. The company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018, operates 522 subsidiaries and 69 associated companies worldwide and reported consolidated net sales of Euro 54.02 billion (6,698.8 billion yen) for the year ended March 31, 2021. Committed to pursuing new value through collaborative innovation, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for customers. Learn more about Panasonic: https://www.panasonic.com/global

About Panasonic Connect Europe
Panasonic Connect Europe began operations on October 1st, 2021, creating a new Business-to-Business focused and agile organisation. With more than 400 employees, the business spearheads operations with its major new B2B solutions initiative called “Gemba Process Innovation”, supported by its wide business product range.

Panasonic Connect Europe is headquartered in Wiesbaden and consist of the following business units:

• The Mobile Solutions Business Division helping mobile workers improve productivity with its range of Toughbook rugged notebooks, business tablets and handhelds.
• The Media Entertainment Business Division incorporating Visual System Solutions offering a range of high brightness and reliable projectors as well as high quality displays; and Broadcast & ProAV offering Smart Live Production solutions from an end-to-end portfolio consisting of PTZ and system cameras, camcorders, the Kairos IT/IP platform, switchers and robotic solutions that are widely used for live event capture, sports production, television, and xR studios.
• Business and Industry Solutions delivering tailored technology solutions focused on Retail, Logistics and Manufacturing. Designed to increase operational efficiency and enhance customer experience, helping businesses to perform at their best, every day.
• Panasonic Factory Solutions Europe selling a wide range of smart factory solutions including electronics manufacturing solutions, robot and welding systems and software solutions engineering.

For more information about the Mobile Solutions Business Division, please visit: www.toughbook.eu

About Circular Computing
Circular Computing™ is the world’s first secondary equipment manufacturer. The parent company, A2C Services Ltd has been around since 1992, but in more recent times set out on a mission with a simple thought – how can we remanufacture a laptop to be ‘like new’?

Since then, the business has built a state-of-the-art BSI KITEMARKED certified remanufacturing facility and developed a 360-stage, five-hour process to deliver laptops that have comparable performance and reliability to ‘new’. Visit: www.circularcomputing.com

Source: RealWire