Using End-to-end ERP to Keep Data Secure in Electronics Recycling

Access to data is one of the biggest challenges in the electronics recycling industry. Companies continue to struggle with understanding the status of a given device, ensuring that a system accurately tracks data wipes and destruction dispositions and understanding the impact of different transactions on a company’s financials.

Based in Plano, Texas, The Vested Group has built a product for the electronics recycling industry called reVESTED to help alleviate issues with data access. It is a cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software built to the requirements of the electronics and mobile recycling industries.

reVESTED enables all of the business processes of an electronics recycling company in one place and provides real-time access to data. The software provides functionality like client contract settlement, triage and auditing and refurbish and repair, along with ERP software that includes financials, procurement, warehousing, planning and human resources. It is a cloud development platform and is built on NetSuite software (ORCL), which is used by more than 40,000 companies around the world.

Waste360 recently sat down with Joel Patterson, managing partner of The Vested Group, to discuss reVESTED’s capabilities, electronics recycling and keeping data secure.

Waste360: What is The Vested Group and its history?

Joel Patterson: The Vested Group is a software partner focused on NetSuite sales and implementations. We work in multiple industries but have developed intellectual property on top of NetSuite to meet requirements that are specific to the electronics recycling industry.

Waste360: What is reVESTED and how does it work?

Joel Patterson: Most of our customers have outgrown Quickbooks and homegrown software and are facing problems with scalability, downtime and inability to quickly gather data for reporting. reVESTED enables all of the business processes of an electronics recycling company in one place and provides real-time access to data. As an example, if there is a receipt on the floor, it is immediately recognized in financial reporting. reVESTED is also a cloud development platform, making it scalable and flexible. As a company grows organically or through acquisition, NetSuite can easily be stretched and modified to accommodate growth.

reVESTED typically goes into larger electronics recycling companies, usually $20 million-plus in revenue. However, The Vested Group is currently working on a “reVESTED lite” product designed for the emerging market. It will provide similar end-to-end ERP functionality with real-time access to data and enable the emerging market to compete on the same footing as the bigger guys.

Waste360: How long have you offered the software?

Joel Patterson: reVESTED technologies has been helping manage the business of electronics recycling companies since 2012. It is currently used by many of the major players in the industry, such as HiTech Assets, Tech Defenders, Super Faire, Summit Resources and others. And we are currently implementing at two other large players in the industry.

Waste360: How do you ensure data is properly secured and destroyed?

Joel Patterson: reVESTED has standard APIs (Application Protocol Interface) to integrate with data wiping software such as Blancco or Wipedrive.

Waste360: What makes your software different from other electronics recycling tracking technology?

Joel Patterson: End-to-end ERP offers all electronics recycling and mobility processing requirements, plus financials, procurement, planning and HR all on the same platform. It enables real-time dashboards and reporting and real-time serial level traceability.