Cascade Releases its 11th Annual IT Asset Disposition Benchmarking Report
Data Security Is Top Priority; Sustainability Gains Momentum; Resale Values Increase
MADISON, WI – January 28, 2025 – Cascade Asset Management (Cascade), a leading national provider of IT retirement solutions, is proud to produce its 11th Annual ITAD Benchmarking Report. The comprehensive publication offers valuable insights into trends in IT asset management, including data security, sustainability, and the rising value of refurbished equipment. Findings are derived from Cascade’s annual client survey and in-depth data analysis.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- ITAD Practices Stabilize: After years of volatility caused by shifting workforce needs, fluctuating equipment resale prices, and economic inflation, IT asset management practices are normalizing.
- Security Tops the List: Data security continues to dominate concerns from IT Asset Managers, yet survey results indicate the need for better asset tracking and adoption of recognized security standards.
- Growing Sustainability Efforts: Organizations are increasingly integrating sustainable IT practices to align with their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals. This year, 34% of respondents cited sustainability as an important factor in IT asset disposition activities, compared to 19% in 2023.
- Hardware Trends: The trend of data center outsourcing is accelerating, with 33% planning to shift away from hosting their own centers in 2025. There was also a slight downward trend in device retirement ages with laptops at 4.1 years and desktops at 4.6 years.
- Resale Value Rebounds: Refurbished laptop values surged 37.3% over the past year, desktops rose 14.8%, and servers and mobile devices saw respective increases of 5.1% and 1.7%.
This year’s Benchmarking Report incorporates responses from 55 enterprises across 14 industries, collectively representing a workforce of over 343,000 employees. In addition, Cascade evaluated more than 1.6 million IT assets processed between 2020 and 2024—including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and servers—to provide an expansive view of the market.
Security and Sustainability were the top priorities in IT asset disposition for 2024. Survey respondents identified “Managing Data Security and Privacy Risks” as the most pressing concern, assigning it a weighted score of 4.8 out of 5. This exceeded the second-ranked priority of “Sustainability” at 4.2. Looking ahead to 2025, security remains the leading challenge, with 29% of participants commenting on the topic.
Positive resale trends signal recovery in the ITAD industry. After significant declines in 2022, resale values for refurbished equipment have stabilized. Laptops experienced the largest year-over-year increase at 37.3%, while desktops grew by 14.8%. Despite this progress, desktop values remain 23.5% below their six-year average, partially due to the retirement of many lower-performing small form factor PCs that were easy to deploy during the pandemic.
With a focus on driving impactful IT asset management, Cascade’s Annual ITAD Benchmarking Report delivers key trends. Neil Peters-Michaud, CEO of Cascade, expressed, “This report encapsulates the real-world challenges and opportunities within ITAD, delivering best practices to support professionals in achieving their goals for security, sustainability, and cost savings within their ITAD programs.”
A copy of the complimentary report is available by request.
About Cascade
Cascade Asset Management is a nationally recognized leader in providing secure and environmentally responsible retirement services for information technology equipment. For over 25 years, the company has provided thousands of businesses and institutions with secure chain of custody transportation solutions, data destruction, computer refurbishing, resale programs, and recycling services. Cascade operates full-scale production facilities in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Florida, and they provide on-site services to customers across the United States. The company is certified by ISO 9001, ISO 14001, e-Stewards, and NAID AAA plus it adheres to the NIST Guidelines for Media Sanitization.