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C-SERVEES · Project

Circular Leasing and Recycling Services That Make Electronics Profitable Again

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7
c-serveesproject.eu

Imagine instead of buying a washing machine or printer, you lease it — and when you're done, the manufacturer takes it back, refurbishes it, and sends it to the next customer. That's what C-SERVEES built: a complete system for electronics companies to switch from "sell and forget" to "lease, track, take back, and reuse." They tested this with real products — washing machines, printers, toner cartridges, and TVs — using QR codes to track each item through its entire life. The goal is to keep valuable materials in the loop instead of ending up in landfills.

By the numbers
57.03 M€
Estimated economic benefit (2022-2026)
8.03 M€
Project budget
7.1
Return on investment ratio
28.4 M€/year
Mid-term annual economic benefit
355
Green jobs created (direct and indirect)
2,620 tonnes CO2 eq/year
Annual CO2 reduction
77%
Share of EU WEEE covered by target product categories
100
Washing machines eco-designed and produced
200
Printers eco-designed and produced
1,000
Toner cartridges eco-designed and produced
100
TVs eco-designed and produced
29
Consortium partners
15
Countries represented
The business problem

What needed solving

Electronics manufacturers are stuck in a "make, sell, forget" model while e-waste regulations tighten and raw material costs rise. Companies lose control of their products after the point of sale, missing the value locked in returned equipment and the recurring revenue potential of service-based models. Meanwhile, 77% of WEEE collected in the EU comes from just four product categories — appliances, IT, telecom, and consumer electronics — creating both an environmental pressure and a massive business opportunity.

The solution

What was built

The project built and demonstrated circular business models (eco-leasing, product customization, WEEE management) with QR-code-based ICT tracking tools across four real product lines. Demonstrations produced 100 washing machines, 200 printers, 1,000 toner cartridges, and 100 TVs — tested through full lifecycle phases from eco-design and production through customer use to end-of-life recycling and refurbishment.

Audience

Who needs this

Consumer electronics and appliance manufacturers exploring product-as-a-service modelsIT equipment companies managing printer and cartridge take-back programsWEEE recyclers and refurbishment operators seeking better material recovery systemsRetail chains or leasing companies wanting to offer electronics-as-a-serviceMunicipal waste management operators handling e-waste compliance
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Consumer Electronics Manufacturing
enterprise
Target: Appliance or electronics manufacturer looking to launch product-as-a-service models

If you are an appliance manufacturer dealing with shrinking margins on one-time sales and growing e-waste regulations — this project developed and demonstrated eco-leasing business models with real products including 100 washing machines and 100 TVs. The QR-code tracking system lets you follow each unit from factory to end-of-life, enabling take-back and refurbishment at scale. The consortium estimated 28.4 M€/year in mid-term economic benefit from these circular models.

IT Equipment & Printing
enterprise
Target: Printer or IT hardware company managing toner and cartridge waste streams

If you are an IT equipment company struggling with cartridge waste and customer retention — this project demonstrated circular services with 200 printers and 1,000 toner cartridges, including full end-of-life take-back tested at recycling facilities. Lexmark was directly involved in the end-of-life demonstrations. The product customization and eco-leasing models tested here could help you shift to recurring revenue while cutting CO2 by 2,620 tonnes per year across the value chain.

Waste Management & WEEE Processing
any
Target: E-waste recycler or refurbishment operator looking to increase recovery rates

If you are a WEEE processor looking to improve material recovery and prepare electronics for re-use — this project built and tested end-of-life management systems across four product categories that together account for 77% of WEEE collected in the EU. The project partnered with social economy organizations like EMAUS to employ people at risk of exclusion for repair and refurbishment, creating an estimated 355 green jobs while generating economic value.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these circular business models?

The project budget was 8.03 M€ for developing and demonstrating the full system across four product categories with 29 partners. The consortium projected an ROI of approximately 7.1, with an estimated 57.03 M€ economic benefit over 2022-2026. Actual implementation costs for a single company would depend on product type and scale.

Has this been tested at industrial scale?

Yes. The project ran large-scale demonstrations with real production quantities: 100 washing machines, 200 printers, 1,000 toner cartridges, 200 ALM products, and 100 TVs were eco-designed and produced. These were tested across the full lifecycle — design, production, distribution, use, and end-of-life at customer sites and recycling facilities.

What about IP and licensing for the tools developed?

Based on available project data, the ICT tools (QR-code-based tracking system) and circular business model frameworks were developed within the consortium of 29 partners. Licensing terms would need to be discussed with the coordinator AIMPLAS or individual technology partners like ADVA, Lexmark, and Arcelik who led specific demonstrations.

Which regulations does this help comply with?

The project directly addresses EU WEEE Directive requirements and ecodesign regulations for electrical and electronic equipment. With the EU pushing circular economy action plans and extended producer responsibility, these business models position companies ahead of tightening e-waste legislation across EU member states.

How long until we could deploy this in our operations?

The project ran from 2018 to 2022 and completed all demonstration phases. The business models and ICT tools have been validated with real products at real facilities. Based on available project data, the solutions were designed to be market-ready by project end, though adaptation to your specific product line would require integration work.

What environmental impact can we actually prove?

The project documented a reduction of 2,620 tonnes CO2 equivalent per year and creation of approximately 355 green jobs (direct and indirect). These figures come from the validated demonstrations covering four EEE categories that represent 77% of all WEEE collected in the EU.

Can this integrate with our existing production and IT systems?

The project developed ICT tools based on QR codes specifically designed to work with existing manufacturing and logistics systems. The Industry 4.0 integration approach was tested with major manufacturers like Arcelik (washing machines) and Lexmark (printers), suggesting compatibility with standard industrial setups.

Consortium

Who built it

The C-SERVEES consortium brings together 29 partners from 15 countries with a strong industry presence — 13 industrial partners (45% of the consortium) and 8 SMEs. This is not a research-only project: major electronics manufacturers like Arcelik (washing machines, TVs) and Lexmark (printers, toner) led the product demonstrations, while AIMPLAS coordinated from the materials research side. The mix of 12 "other" organizations includes NGOs like EMAUS handling social economy aspects and end-user groups. With only 1 university and 3 research organizations, the consortium was clearly built for implementation and market transfer rather than academic publication.

How to reach the team

AIMPLAS - Asociacion de Investigacion de Materiales Plasticos y Conexas, Spain. Contact through SciTransfer for a warm introduction.

Order a report on this consortiumSee AIMPLAS - ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE MATERIALES PLASTICOS Y CONEXAS profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how circular leasing models could work for your electronics products? SciTransfer can connect you with the C-SERVEES team and help you assess which business models fit your product line.

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