Access Computer Products Opens New Arkansas Facility

By Baun, Robert

LOVELAND – Buoyed by landfill restrictions and greater interest in recycling, Access Computer Products Inc. is poised for rapid expansion.

The Loveland-based recycler of consumer electronics goods is scheduled to open a recycling station this month in Springdale, Ark. At the same time, Access Computer is ready to start construction of a $500,000, 10,000-square-foot addition to its Loveland facility.

The addition represents a 41 percent expansion of the main plant, which opened just two years ago when Access Computer moved to Loveland from Fort Collins. Office and warehouse space will be added at the Loveland site, where the company has 70 employees.

In Arkansas, the new 6,000-square-foot facility will focus on recycling computer monitors and CPUs, a recent addition to Access Computer’s business. Traditionally the company focused on recycling of printer cartridges and cell phones, and retail sales of printer cartridges.

Access Computer picked Arkansas because of a budding market in that state for computer recycling. Arkansas won’t allow computers in any state landfills after Jan. 1, 2008. Access Computer has already reached deals with three of that state’s 17 solid waste districts to be the receiving station for electronics waste.

The new plant will start with three employees, but could grow to 12, said Joseph Goodell, founder of Access Computer.

Computer recycling appears to be gaining status as a growth industry nationwide. Recently, a Texas-based computer recycler and reseller received $4 million in venture financing to support its growth plans.

Part of the growth should come from laws similar to the pending landfill ban in Arkansas. States and local communities that have control over landfills are instituting bans on electronics products in increasing numbers. Goodell said the Arkansas facility will also serve as a collection site for some of the goods Access Computer accepts from the southern and eastern United States.

Access Computer has set up a national collection network with 10,000 schools. School children gather used cell phones, printer cartridges and personal digital assistants, then turn the products over to Access Computer. Access Computer recycles the goods, then sells the harvested materials, sharing revenue with the schools.

In addition to recycling computers, Access Computer has also gained revenue from reconditioning and selling computers primarily those with Pentium 3 or Pentium 4 processors. Retail sales of print cartridges, both new and used, is also a key source of revenue.

“We’re going to do about $1.6 million this year in our retail division” Goodell said.

Overall, Goodell expects 30 percent sales growth this year, for a total of $14 million in revenue.

Access Computer Products Inc.

Founded: 1987

Management: Joseph Goodell, founder

Headquarters: Loveland. Other sites in Arkansas and Utah.

Product/Service: Recycles printer cartridges, cell phones and computers. Retail sales of printer cartridges and computers.

Employees: 150 nationwide, 70 in Loveland

2004 revenue: $11 million

Web: www.accessftc.com

SOURCE: ACCESS COMPUTER PRODUCTS INC.

Copyright Northern Colorado Business Review Sep 16, 2005