SMAAART (Econocom Factory) presented its digital product lifecycle management support offering at the 2023 Viva Technology show’s ‘AD’OCC Occitanie’ hall on 14 and 15 June.
No introduction is needed for VivaTech, which has become a firm fixture on the national technology landscape in the last seven years. The 2023 edition of the innovation showcase, which saw talks by Bernard Arnault (LVMH), Luca de Meo (Renault) and Christel Heydemann (Orange), also provided a powerful platform for SMAAART (Econocom Factory). The company, a national specialist in reconditioning, hones its expertise in phones, tablets and computers at its plant near Montpellier.
Econocom Factory’s, CEO Jean-Christophe Estoudre and Marketing-Communications-E-Business Director Jacqueline Pistoulet took part in a roundtable on 14 June on the following topic: ‘The circular economy: why is reconditioning a future business line?’
Econocom Factory’s CEO looks back at the key points of his talk for Econocom Stories. Interview.
« The main aim of our talk with Jacqueline was to raise awareness by demonstrating how reconditioning — whether mobile phones or computers — can be a source of innovation to tackle environmental effects. Know that devices’ environmental impacts are 80% down to manufacturing the materials and just 20% to their use, something that we don’t always consider. A few telling figures on this subject: for an average device weight of around 200 grams, buying a reconditioned phone saves 52 kg of CO2, 164 kg of raw materials and 56 cu. m of water compared to a new one! »
Jean-Christophe Estoudre continues: « We’re following the direction set by the government, whose AGEC (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy) and REEN (Reduced Digital Environmental Footprint) Acts are encouraging individuals and professionals to look to reconditioned products. We’re going a step further by taking a closed-loop circular economy approach: collecting devices across the country to recondition them at our Montpellier plant, and so give them a second life. »
But how can we address the cognitive biases likely to present purchase barriers? Econocom Factory’s CEO is convinced that the answer lies in both the certification process and pricing: « Our reconditioning process has twenty accredited and certified steps. When the product is resold, it comes with — like new devices — a 24-month warranty and has ‘Service France Garantie’ certification. » Jean-Christophe Estoudre smiles when he mentions the pricing aspect: « It’s good for our planet and good for our bank balance as prices are 30% to 70% lower than for a new device! »
In addition to the reduced environmental impact, finally, Econocom Factory’s CEO also emphasizes the social and societal dimension of his business: « As well as our entreprise à mission status, we became an SSE (Social and Solidarity Enterprise) on 1 June. So we want to excel across the entire CSR value chain. »
SMAAART has been the Econocom Group’s reconditioned smartphone and computer brand since June 2022. For 35 years, SMAAART has reconditioned materials at its French plant in Montpellier, renamed Econocom Factory. Its merger with the Econocom Group is enabling SMAAART to expand its offering to major private and public businesses whilst continuing its development amongst personal customers, particularly through SMAAART. See the SMAAART offers available to Econocom colleagues at econocomshop.
