The most common application for a hard disk crusher is to make any data on a hard disk unrecoverable by any means. However, there is a secondary application that can in fact, save organizations thousands of dollars. This secondary usage calls for the destruction of defective hard disk drives instead of shipping them back to the overseas hard disk manufacturer. So how does this process work?
Various countries stocks components like hard drives to meet local manufacturing and warranty requirements in international distribution channels. After performing warranty repairs, the repair depot keeps the defective hard drives and ships them to the regional distribution center. Once a month, the distribution center performs an inventory of defective components. It then generates a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) request to the overseas hard drive manufacturer.
The overseas manufacturer routinely approves the list. It then provides the regional distribution center with an RMA number for shipment back to the manufacturer. Once the manufacturers receive the defective hard drives, they issue a credit to the international location for the value of the defective components. The manufacturer usually destroys the bulk of the hard drives and may keep a small sample for testing. Is this a cost effective or environmentally friendly solution to the problem? Clearly not.
Hard Disk Crusher
It makes no sense to ship defective hard drives halfway around the world simply for destruction. To avoid the expense, manufacturers have now come up with some viable alternatives:
- Accumulate defective hard drive inventory for several months at the international distribution center and then have a company representative pay a visit and do a physical inspection, then the hard drives are destroyed locally by a third-party hard disk crusher at a hefty price.
- Find a third-party hard disk crusher willing to issue a certificate of destruction. Locally destroy hard drives pre-approved by the manufacturer then send the third party certificate overseas in order to receive the merchandise credit.
- Destroy the hard disk drives in-house, with sledge hammers or a hard disk crusher. The process has to be filmed and must visually document the serial number of each destroyed drive. The film is then sent to the manufacturer so that credit can be issued.
Clearly, the option of destroying in-house is the most cost effective; however, it does require an industrial strength solution able to crush hundreds of hard disks per day. The Phiston hard disk crusher is the ideal solution, able to crush a drive in approximately 30 seconds utilizing an unprecedented 40,000 lbs. of force. Yet the unit is almost portable with dimensions of 25″ x 19″ x 12″. It is also perfect for international locations with available voltage options of up to 240 volts.
As an added bonus, not only does it destroy the drives, but it loses all user data forever. It is a great marketing bonus for the service depots. Substantial savings in packing, shipping, Customs fees and unpacking are the major selling points in favor of a Phiston hard disk crusher.
Contact Phiston
Please feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss our line of products which can provide a perfect solution for your inventory needs.
