ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the opening of the first-ever server remanufacturing center in China. The new center, located in Shenzhen, will help reduce the impact of e-waste on the environment by extending the life of older IT equipment that otherwise would go into landfills. IBM will also buy back select IBM Power Systems from clients as they upgrade to new IBM equipment.

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The new facility expands IBM's global remanufacturing and refurbishment operations in Australia, Singapore, Japan, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and the United States. The Shenzhen facility will initially remanufacture hundreds of mid-range IBM Power Systems, which are reconditioned, tested and certified using rigorous processes and original manufacturing standards, or rebuilt to meet specific customer requirements. The facility will rapidly expand to remanufacture 100,000 PCs and low-end and mid-range IBM and non-IBM servers per year by 2014.

"The demand for IT products in emerging markets is growing; however, not all businesses want to purchase new products," said Richard Dicks, General Manager - IBM Global Asset Recovery Services. "As the first IT provider licensed by the government to remanufacture servers on mainland China, IBM can help clients affordably acquire IBM Certified Pre-owned Equipment locally to supplement and support their IT operations while helping the environment."

For nearly 30 years, IBM Global Asset Recovery Services has provided clients with an environmentally responsible approach to managing older and end-of-life IT equipment. IBM takes back IBM and non-IBM equipment at end of lease or when a client decides to upgrade in mid-lease. In addition to remanufacturing and certifying equipment, IBM Global Asset Recovery Services handles complete removal and dismantling of unwanted or end-of-life IT products, preventing on average 97 percent of the weight of equipment it processes from going into landfills.

China represents a promising opportunity for IBM Certified Pre-owned Equipment, especially for small and medium-sized businesses that want to lower IT costs, or for clients that need to meet short-term IT project requirements, find emergency replacements or expand existing IBM infrastructure when a specific model is no longer in production.

About IBM Global Asset Recovery Services

IBM Global Asset Recovery Services is a unit of IBM Global Financing, the world's largest technology financier with $36B in assets and provides the broadest portfolio of IT financing and asset management solutions that deliver greater economic value throughout the technology lifecycle. Created in 1981, IBM Global Financing operates in 50 countries.

Contact: Lauren Nowicki, 631-871-7459

SOURCE IBM