Klap Tech is a private company with a marketplace that purchases smartphones and laptops from different sources to resell on their platform. The company has recently established a partnership with Ateliere Fără Frontiere, a social enterprise active in the circular economy with 74 employees.
Ateliere Fără Frontiere provides free collection services to companies for their discarded electronic devices, testing their functionality and preparing them for reuse. These refurbished items are either sold or donated to individuals who need them, depending on their quality and demand. Klap Tech supports this initiative by regularly purchasing refurbished smartphones and laptops from Ateliere Fără Frontiere for resale on their platform, creating consistent demand for second-hand electronics.
The partnership has facilitated meaningful employment for 14 individuals distanced from the labour market, contributing to their well-being and social inclusion. Furthermore, by extending the life cycle of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), the collaboration has actively prevented electronic waste and raised awareness about reuse in Romania. A pilot project is currently underway to quantify the CO2 emissions avoided through laptop reuse.
“To scale up, we need to gain a clearer understanding of our inventory, including the different models of used IT products and when they were produced. We need and are working towards hiring professional staff that help easily identify the repairability of WEEE, as well as further train our insertion employees to gain the competences to work with the equipment and increase the reuse rates. We would also like to have a dedicated team to manage sales of our refurbished equipment.”
— Ateliere Fără Frontiere representative
©Photo by Ateliere Fără Frontiere
