LockBoxSwap enters the re-commerce market and promotes the “green” reuse of Realtor lock boxes. With an environmentally friendly business model, LockBoxSwap encourages Realtors to recycle their lock boxes and facilitates this process by shipping all lock boxes in recycled, biodegradable shipping materials. As the one-stop Realtor lock box shop, LockBoxSwap provides Realtors with a secure and verified online resource where they can quickly buy and sell used Supra and SentriLock electronic lock boxes.

With unwanted and outdated electronics ending up in American landfills or being exported to developing countries, there has been an increase in start-up businesses attempting to tackle the growing problem of E-Waste. In November of 2011, San Diego-basedLockBoxSwap joined the ranks of these companies addressing this growing global concern.

As the first e-commerce platform for Realtors to buy and sell used electronic lock boxes in a centralized secondary marketplace, LockBoxSwap offers a “green” solution for the re-use of Supra and SentriLock lockboxes that might otherwise end up being discarded or stripped down for electronic components.

“By providing Realtors a secure place where they can buy and sell used lock boxes, LockBoxSwap is the real estate industry’s response to a rising demand for ‘re-commerce’ services with eco-friendly business models,” says Blake J. Nolan, Chief Technology and Operations Officer at LockBoxSwap. “At LockBoxSwap we encourage our Realtor customers to recycle and reuse their electronic lockboxes, and we guarantee that every lock box is packaged and shipped in recyclable, bio-degradable material.”

Already well-received by Realtors nationwide, LockBoxSwap has earned some notoriety in the real estate industry as a convenient place where Realtors can quickly and easily buy a realtor lock box discounted at 30-50% less than retail pricing.

“With our ‘Everyday Free UPS Shipping’ policy and a guarantee that every lock box sold will be fully functional, we ultimately want every Realtor to view LockBoxSwap’s commitment to reducing E-Waste as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to buying or selling their used lockboxes on the open market,” says Nolan.

As part of LockBoxSwap’s efforts to promote the recycling and re-use of Supra and SentriLock lockboxes, any Realtor who enters the code GREEN2012 will receive an additional 10% off any lockbox purchased through the month of January 2012.

For a “green” alternative to buying a new lockbox or attempting to sell a lockbox to a private third-party, check out LockBoxSwap and “Let’s Get Swappin” Today!

With a guaranteed free-shipping policy and a Realtor-managed team who understands your business, LockBoxSwap aims to be the one-stop shop for all Realtors’ Supra and SentriLock lockbox needs. No more hassle. No more haggling. No more leaving your office. Just a guaranteed electronic lockbox delivered straight to your door. — “Lock Up Your Listing For Less with LockBoxSwap”

To lock up your listing for less, go to http://www.LockBoxSwap.com. For bulk transactions (20+ lockboxes), call Beau Katz, National Sales Manager, at (888) 835-2540.

As the adoption of consumer electronics, mobile phones, and computer equipment continues to increase around the world, the business and environmental challenges associated with electronic device disposition at end-of-life (EOL) grow greater and greater.  According to a new report from Pike Research, as devices become obsolete and are replaced, the total volume and weight of EOL electronics, which is known as e-scrap, will more than double in the next 15 years, rising from 676 million cubic feet (and 6.0 million tons) in 2010 to 1,465 million cubic feet (and 14.9 million tons) by 2025.  This trend will place increasing pressure on industry players, governments, and advocacy groups to find new ways to expand electronics recycling and reuse.  E-scrap that is not recycled, reused, or stored becomes e-waste and is buried, incinerated, or dumped, representing a significant environmental hazard.

During the same forecast period, Pike Research anticipates that the electronics recycling movement will make strong progress, and the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that electronics recycling and reuse will rise from 122 million cubic feet (and 1.1 million tons) per year in 2010 to 789 million cubic feet (and 7.9 million tons) annually by 2025.  By the early 2020s, the firm expects that recycling and reuse activity will surpass the annual volume and weight of electronic devices that become e-waste, and thus will play a large part in mitigating the e-waste crisis.  However, these promising trends will still not be enough to solve the entire problem, as Pike Research anticipates that the total volume of e-waste in landfills will continue increasing throughout the period.

“Electronics recycling and reuse is expanding at a significant rate,” says industry analyst Bob Boggio.  “The growth in responsible disposition of obsolete electronics is being driven both by environmental legislation around the world as well as the sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of leading electronics manufacturers and service providers.”

However, Boggio adds that unwanted electronic equipment is still easily and inexpensively sent to landfill burial rather than being directed toward reuse or recycling.  Trans-boundary shipments of e-waste from developed countries to developing countries continue, and the informal recovery of components and materials in developing countries remain a concern for human health and the environment.  Boggio states that the gap may be narrowed in the coming years if national and regional governments modify their legislative mandates to close perceived loopholes and increase e-scrap diversion rates.

Pike Research’s report, “Electronics Recycling and E-Waste Issues”, provides a detailed analysis of e-scrap issues facing the electronics industry over the coming years, including an assessment of market and economic factors, legislative issues, environmental concerns, and the strategies of key industry players.  The study includes market forecasts through 2025 for unit sales of electronics by category, along with volume and weight of total e-scrap generated as well as the ultimate disposition through recycling, reuse, storage, and e-waste.  Also included are detailed interview responses from state environmental management agencies, OEMs and service providers, and e-waste processing companies.  An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

The state Department of Natural Resources says Wisconsin’s electronic recycling program is rolling. The E-Cycle Wisconsin program came out of a 2009 state law that requires electronic manufacturers to fund a recycling program for homes and schools’ old televisions, computers, monitors and other electronics. The program got under way in January 2010.

According to Wisconsin DNR E-Cycle Program figures, registered collectors took in 10.4 million pounds of old televisions, computers and other electronics during the first six months of 2010. Over the year that ended this past June collectors took in 35.1 million pounds.

Collection sites are located in 68 of the state’s 72 counties. A list is available on the DNR’s website.

ROUND2 INC. and its parent Round2 Technologies, Inc. (“ROUND2”) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT).  ROUND2 INC. is a leading eRecycling service provider offering a wide range of integrated asset disposition and technology recovery solutions at each of its US-based, R2 certified ReDistribution Centers.  ROUND2 will become part of Avnet Integrated Resources, which provides reverse logistics and after-market services to the global technology industry.  The acquisition has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is subject to the approval of the shareholders of ROUND2, as well as customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close on January 3, 2012.

Avnet, Inc. (Avnet), together with its subsidiaries, is an industrial distributor of electronic components, enterprise computer and storage products and embedded subsystems. The Company distributes electronic components, computer products and software as received from its suppliers or with assembly or other value added by Avnet. Additionally, Avnet provides engineering design, materials management and logistics services, system integration and configuration, and supply chain services that can be customized to meet the requirements of both customers and suppliers.

“I am proud of the company that we have built and this transaction is an excellent opportunity for ROUND2 to execute our long-term vision for global reverse logistics,” said Randy Weiss, ROUND2’s President and CEO.  “Avnet has demonstrated strength, leadership, and integrity in their competitive markets and I expect this transaction to provide long-term stability and creative growth channels for our clients.  I look forward to working closely with the Avnet Integrated Resources team to create a world-class reverse logistics solution.”

“The acquisition of Round2 Technologies is extremely important to Avnet, as it completes this phase of our strategy to offer a total solution to the after-market services industry.  With ROUND2’s strong presence and capabilities in e-waste disposal, coupled with our existing businesses and recently announced acquisitions, we will be able to  offer call center services, repair and refurbishment services including complex repairs, and environmentally responsible disposal of those assets that no longer have usability as these companies are integrated into Avnet,”  stated Steve Church, President, Avnet Integrated Resources.