How Used Office Furniture And Cubicles Help The Environment
Buying used office furniture or refurbishing existing furniture is a good strategy for companies that are looking to cut down on operational costs without sacrificing the aesthetics or functionality of their furnishings. Helping the environment may not be on the agenda, but nevertheless this is another advantage of this practice. Waste is minimized through the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Forty workstations destined for the landfill can fill up one tractor-trailer. Imagine the amount of waste that can be eliminated if these workstations are recycled. We are not only reducing waste, but conserving natural resources as well. For every pound of natural resources we use to repair or add value to an existing product, we are saving five to nine pounds of virgin material that would have been used to create a new piece.
The truth is, not all of the discarded conference tables, chairs, bookshelves, desks, sofas and the like are broken or defective. Companies sometimes throw away furniture simply because they look outdated. It could also be that the furniture is slightly worn or no longer works with the color scheme of a new office space.
There are many companies in the business of selling recycled furniture. Recycled furniture may or may not need repairs or cosmetic changes before they can be resold. There are actually three types of recycled furniture: reused, refurbished or remanufactured.
Not all second-hand furniture or office cubicles need repairs or changes before they can be resold. These are referred to as reused furniture and are put up for sale as is. Suppliers need little effort to make these pieces saleable, so this kind of recycled furniture is the least expensive of the three types.
Some pieces require little cosmetic changes or minor repairs before they become marketable. Repairing the broken arm of a chair, reupholstering panels of office cubicles or adding new laminate surfaces for tables or desks – these are some of the things done when furniture is refurbished. Companies can take recycling further by having their existing furniture refurbished instead of replacing them.
Remanufactured office furniture, like refurbished pieces, has had value added to it before it is sold. Unlike refurbished furniture, however, remanufactured furniture have been completely disassembled, inspected, cleaned, parts repaired or replaced, reassembled and refinished before going back to the market. For instance, old office cubicles are dismantled, repainted and new fabric applied to all panels. Original laminate is stripped off and new laminate, edge banding and molding are applied.
Recycling furniture benefits not just buyers and the environment, but suppliers as well. Studies show that changing or repairing an existing product needs less than 90 percent manufacturing effort and energy than creating a new product. Thus, companies dealing with used office furniture and office cubicles are able to run an operation that is both labor and energy saving.
Company’s can save quite a bit of money if they purchase used office furniture because it is usually half the price of new furniture. Not only is it cost effective but the quality is usually the same. Craig Mather works to help companies find money saving cubicle furniture by consulting with companies about it.
