22 July 2004
DEXTER, Mich.—An American electronics recycler is working with a Spanish
trade group to expand cell-phone recycling in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
ReCellular Inc. has signed a five-year pact to provide cell-phone
recycling and refurbishing services to wireless phone customers throughout
South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The agreement with the Hispanic-American Association of Research Centers
and Telecommunications Companies, unveiled July 7, makes ReCellular the
exclusive service provider for AHCIET member companies.
AHCIET, based in Madrid, is the largest and most prominent wireless
industry association in Spain and Latin America.
“As AHCIET’s exclusive recycling partner, we look forward to helping the
association’s corporate members realize the internal and external benefits
of responsible cell-phone recycling,” said Charles Newman, president of
Dexter-based ReCellular.
ReCellular receives most of its U.S. phones through donations conducted
by nonprofit groups and wireless service providers. It sells many of the
refurbished phones in parts of the world where new phones are cost
prohibitive for many. It shares proceeds from the sales with the nonprofit
groups or charities the wireless providers choose.
In March, AHCIET merged with the Latin American Association of the
Wireless Industry, or ALACEL, to form a stronger wireless provider
association. ReCellular had a recycling partnership with ALACEL, which led
to the AHCIET agreement.
The partnership will spread the environmental and social benefits of
cell-phone recycling to millions of wireless customers throughout South
America, Central America and the Caribbean, said Francisco Gomez, AHCIET
general secretary.
“ReCellular’s capabilities and business relationships will make a strong
and growing recycling program a reality in the regions in which our members
operate,” he said. “We are pleased to extend the relationship begun with
ALACEL with our new agreement.”
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