‘Green’ Alliance of Tech Company and Recycler Proves Its Mettle

A collaboration between two green-focused companies is yielding profits to each while also helping the environment here and abroad in unique and exciting ways.

MetalWave Inc. recycles electronic products, and Jenaly Technology Group provides IT service. The two companies met about a year ago through the Green Alliance, a union of local sustainable businesses promoting environmentally sound business practices, and a green co-op offering discounted green products and services to its members.

At the time, Jenaly was looking for help with an IT customer who wanted to recycle obsolete electronic equipment, and the relationship has grown from there.

“It works out nicely,” Tom Sousa, MetalWave’s director of sustainability, said about working with Jenaly. “If someone calls Jenaly and asks how to recycle material properly, Jenaly will refer the company to us. If someone needs IT support, we’ll refer them. I have referred Jenaly to a business contact in Cambridge. It’s exactly the kind of relationship you want.”

“It is a nice collaboration,” agreed Jenaly owner MJ Shoer. “The synergy was instantly obvious, and as a business model it’s a ‘win-win.’” Jenaly provides MetalWave with its internal IT needs.

“We are constantly going into new companies to conduct upgrades,” Ellen Sargeant, Jenaly’s client advocate, said. “Companies are refreshing equipment every three or four years.”

But most towns and cities charge for disposal of computers. Also, PC boards contain hazardous chemicals. And they contain precious metals, including gold. When Jenaly is working with a client on a technology upgrade, MetalWave will take the client’s obsolete technology equipment — which is often junk sitting in a closet somewhere —and get it recycled at almost no cost, allowing the client “to get rid of that awful thing in the corner,” Shoer said. MetalWave responsibly recycles electronic and other waste that would otherwise have ended up in landfills, endangering the environment.

“Often, companies also stockpile old hard drives because of compliance or proprietary concerns, Sargeant said. MetalWave can properly and certifiable destroy hard drives, providing “data security” for these companies.”

“MetalWave is able to relieve that company of that burden in a relatively painless way for the companies,” Shoer said.” It takes a burden off their plate, making the process very, very simple.”

MetalWave: A complete recycler

MetalWave Inc. was launched in 2010 to provide customers with a more transparent and cost-effective alternative to the traditionally shady world of e-waste “down streaming.” From its 25,000-square foot facility in Amesbury, Mass., MetalWave recycles PCs, printers, CRT computer monitors, televisions, hard drives, cell phones, and other outdated, discarded electronic equipment.

All shipments come through a single bay door, where they’re immediately catalogued and set aside for deconstruction. Conveyor belts are used to transport the various gadgets down to the handlers, who pick them apart, tossing every wire, cord, copper filling and other metal ephemera into the appropriate boxes.

“We are very good at separating material. We are separation experts,” Sousa said. “We are recycling material that would not have a home otherwise. Their customers are happy that their material is being handled properly.”

MetalWave ships the separated materials to a selected group vetted partners — all of whom are experts in material shredding and non-ferrous extraction. They follow strict guidelines to ensure the e-waste that they handle is properly disassembled, shredded, and processed by reputable domestic vendors who do not take shortcuts, cut corners, or export their waste to other countries, creating jobs in the United States while ensuring sustainability in the process.

In partnership with MetalWave, the Green Alliance offers a free electronic waste recycling center for its members at its downtown Portsmouth office, 75 Congress St., Suite 304.

Jenaly Technology Group: Your Technology Concierge

When he launched Portsmouth-based Jenaly Technology Group in 1997, MJ Shoer envisioned a better, more honest service than was typical in the IT industry. While other IT service companies sold products from companies with whom they had a relationship, in the process fulfilling sales quotas, Shoer and his team wanted to offer the best, most efficient and most sensible option for his clients, without the hidden burden of having to meet sales quotas to the vendor whose technology they would recommend.

For this and many other reasons, Jenaly Technology Group is not your typical IT service provider; its work goes far beyond computers, touting a mission as multi-faceted as its technology. Jenaly helps businesses reach their goals with custom software, equipment, and computer services, along the way striving to save time, money and, perhaps most impressively, the environment as well.

Because technology is by its nature resource intensive, Jenaly works hard to minimize the impact of that technology while still maintaining a steadfast dedication to efficiency and effectiveness for its customers. Jenaly also provides remote assistance to customers, as opposed to driving to meet clients and wasting gas, one of the first companies to adopt the practice. It was also one of the first in its industry to develop a truly “green” data backup. In the past, data was backed up using magnetic tapes that depreciated over time. Jenaly utilizes digital online backup, wasting no materials.

Jenaly’s printer cartridges require near zero packaging, meaning the ink is the only thing that’s inserted in the printer, and the company has taken great strides to become as paperless as possible, sending out digital newsletters and utilizing electronic bulletin boards in the office.

Jenaly’s nine staff members are encouraged to set up home offices and work remotely when practical, decreasing gasoline needs and minimizing vehicle emissions. Even software is obtained over the Internet to avoid packaging and shipping.

What does the future hold?

MetalWave is exploring how it can help schools with their recycling needs while it continues to service accounting and law firms, among other businesses. And while conducting its own green practices, Jenaly will continue to line up clients for MetalWave. “The fact that it’s another Green Alliance member is just icing on the cake,” Shoer said of MetalWave.

For more information about Jenaly, visit www.jenaly.com. For more information about MetalWave, visit www.metalwavein.com. And for more information about MetalWave, visit www.greenalliance.biz.