GreenTech: Foxway Acquires ABD in Romania to Dominate the IT Refurbishment Market in Eastern Europe

The rise of the circular economy is profoundly transforming the information technology sector. As part of this trend, Foxway, the European circular tech giant, has just announced the acquisition of ABD—a strategic move aimed at strengthening its presence in Europe and expanding its industrial capacity to meet the growing demand for refurbished computers.

ABD is a Romanian company with a strong presence in Bucharest, specializing in the advanced refurbishment of business computers (B2B). The company has made a name for itself thanks to its cutting-edge technical processes, including respray (robot-assisted industrial repainting of the chassis) and skinning (restoration of the outer casing). These methods make it possible to repair cosmetic imperfections on used laptops, restoring them to a level of aesthetics and quality that is virtually identical to that of new units.

The Boom in IT Refurbishment in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is emerging as the new hub for IT refurbishment in Europe. Driven by competitive operating costs and a pool of highly qualified engineers, the circular tech market there is growing at an average annual rate of more than 15%.

This acceleration is largely driven by the gradual implementation of new European regulations on CSR reporting (notably the CSRD). Large companies and mid-sized enterprises are now encouraged to incorporate refurbished IT equipment to reduce their overall environmental footprint.

Comparative Analysis of the Forces at Play

The market for used IT asset management (ITAD— IT Asset Disposition) is structured around three types of players:

• Foxway (with the integration of ABD): Operates on an end-to-end industrial model. By managing collection, major repairs (respray, skinning), and resale, the group maintains control over its margins and guarantees businesses large volumes with consistent quality.
• Traditional brokers and local refurbishers: A highly fragmented sector in Eastern Europe, they rarely have access to ABD’s industrial technologies for refurbishing the aesthetic appearance of appliances on a large scale.
• Consumer marketplaces (e.g., Back Market): They act as third-party intermediaries and do not own their own factories, focusing on the B2C segment rather than on the overall management of corporate fleets.

Environmental Impact: Measurable Ecological Benefits

Foxway’s long-term goal is to build a robust European infrastructure dedicated to more responsible technology consumption. Extending the life cycle of digital devices offers significant environmental benefits that can be immediately quantified in companies’ CSR reports:

• Carbon Emissions Avoidance: Manufacturing a new laptop generates an average of between 250 kg and 350 kg of CO2, 80% of which comes solely from the production phase (rare earth extraction, chip manufacturing). By extending the lifespan of a computer by 3 to 4 years through ABD’s advanced refurbishment process, Foxway helps prevent the emission of nearly 200 kg of CO2 per device.
• Resource conservation: Mass remanufacturing prevents the waste of hundreds of liters of purified water needed to manufacture semiconductors and reduces the production of electronic waste (e-waste), which is difficult to recycle.

Post-Acquisition Growth Prospects

The integration of ABD into the Foxway ecosystem opens up significant opportunities for growth in the coming years:

• Industrial-scale expansion: The Bucharest facility will benefit from Foxway’s logistical capabilities and continuous supply of used devices, enabling a threefold increase in the volume of computers processed in Romania.
• Export Hub for Central Europe: Thanks to its strategic geographic location, the Romanian facility will become Foxway’s preferred distribution center for supplying companies in Central and Eastern Europe with sustainable, high-value-added IT equipment.

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