IRS Robotics: Sustainability in refurbished robots
IRS Robotics, founded by brothers Patrick and Jeroen Waltmans, specializes in the refurbishment and revitalization of robots that would otherwise be discarded as scrap.
Their mission is to prevent these robots from becoming obsolete, thereby promoting sustainability in technology.
Initially beginning with just five discarded robots from Philips, IRS Robotics has since grown into an enterprise that refurbishes numerous robots each year, providing them with a second chance at life.
"Robots are complex and heavy, you don't just throw them away, do you? We replace what is suspicious, worn out or defective and have built up protocols for this with a high quality standard over the past twenty years.”
Patrick Waltmans, director-owner of IRS Robotics
Redefining Standards in Refurbished Robots and Services
Founded in 2002, IRS Robotics stands as one of the pioneers in the global sustainable refurbished robot market. The company’s origins trace back to the robot expertise cultivated within the former Philips factories. Presently, IRS Robotics operates as a privately owned and independent business entity, boasting a team of 15 dedicated employees, a network of global robot selling points, and a customer base exceeding 500.
IRS Robotics extends its services to include Robot Service within the Benelux Area, addressing robot malfunctions and providing regular robot maintenance. Additionally, they offer tailor-made robot training and advisory services. IRS has developed its own label “IRS Robotics® refurbished robots”, complemented with a guarantee on the products.
In every company, there exists an accountant responsible for assessing financial health. IRS believes that a similar approach will soon apply to the evaluation of raw material usage and greenhouse gas emissions. An accounting system is expected to emerge, requiring entrepreneurs to consider the availability of “carbon points” or carbon credits, or any equivalent measure.
IRS can offer support in adapting to such a system. It is envisioned that, within this framework, the costs associated with a refurbished robot may eventually be comparable to those of a new one. This perspective emphasizes the environmental advantages of investing more resources and time into robot refurbishment, beyond solely cost-related considerations that currently dictate refurbishment decisions. Anticipated guidelines from the European Union, while possibly not including carbon credits at this stage, will be carefully monitored to ensure preparedness for future developments in this area.
For Dutch language www.irsrobotics.com/
For English language www.irsrobotics.com/en