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ITAD commissions sculpture made of 1,000 old IT parts

Techbuyer commissions statue to celebrate world road cycling competition

IT asset disposal (ITAD) firm Techbuyer has commissioned a sculpture of a bicycle made out of 1,000 used IT parts.

The Harrogate-based company commissioned the art piece to celebrate the UCI Road World Cycling Championships visiting Harrogate this month.

The piece was created by local artist Steve Blaylock out of redundant IT parts, including a heatsink for the pedals and seat, copper stripped from cables to make the handlebars and server fans to make eyes.

"Every year around 50 million tonnes of e-waste are produced worldwide," said Astrid Wynne, sustainability manager at Techbuyer.

"Datacentre and networking equipment will inevitably make up a significant part of this.

"We refurbish excess and redundant IT equipment so that more IT hardware is reused rather than thrown away before its end of life.

"The bike is a fun and creative way to show the importance of reusing equipment, which is what Techbuyer is all about."

The bike has attracted crowds as it tours Yorkshire's top landmarks, including Ripon Cathedral and Fountains Abbey. It will be positioned near the finish line in Harrogate once the cycling championships start.

Techbuyer was formed in 2005 in Harrogate and specialises in refurbishing and selling used datacentre equipment. It now has a headcount of 150 people across the globe, including the US, France and New Zealand.

Kevin Towers, founder and CEO of Techbuyer, said: "We are really proud to be a global company founded in Harrogate, with over 80 per cent of our employees having a Harrogate postcode.

"We are looking forward to welcoming millions of spectators to the UCI World Championships next week and to celebrate the event with the local community."