Flex IT acquires German demopool specialist MKCL GmbH

Leiden, The Netherlands, April 1, 2022 – Flex IT, one of Europe’s largest specialists in IT lifecycle management, today announced the acquisition of MKCL, the leading European provider of demo pool management, in order to expand its demo services and circular IT portfolio. The acquisition of MKCL is part of Flex IT’s ongoing mission to lead the transition toward a fully circular European market for IT hardware. The goal is to support the company’s strategy of expanding its services for both the IT channel and IT vendors.

With the lifespan of IT hardware now averaging only three to five years, the annual e-waste mountain continues to grow. According to Flex IT, the key to solving this problem lies in extending this lifecycle in order to drastically reduce environmental impact.

“With the acquisition of MKCL, Flex IT is taking another major step forward in strengthening its position as a circular service provider for manufacturers—particularly for Lenovo, due to the strong relationship between Lenovo and MKCL,” said Leon Timmermans, CEO of Flex IT.
“In addition, Flex IT can support companies in achieving their sustainability goals by offering Lenovo products on the European market. The demand for sustainable IT computers and laptops is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Flex IT wants to support businesses in this transition, and the acquisition of MKCL helps us realize this goal more rapidly.”

“We are very pleased to welcome MKCL as part of our group,” Timmermans continued. “This enables us not only to support companies in achieving their circular economy ambitions, but also to strengthen our offering of circular IT in Europe. It is also an important milestone on our journey to becoming the largest demo partner in Europe. It allows us to reinforce our leadership position in the circular space and expand this specialization across the European market, thereby accelerating the optimization of circular IT in Europe.”
“We expect a perfect synergy with the MKCL team, as we share the same values and the same vision for the development of the circular market. Over the past year, Michael Frautz and I have built a strong relationship. Michael has created a high-quality company, and we are excited to build on the foundation he has established with MKCL.”

MKCL is a well-established brand in the European IT landscape and will remain active under the name MKCL. For more than 20 years, MKCL has been developing innovative IT services for several global IT vendors such as Lenovo. In addition to logistics, production, and trade of IT hardware, its portfolio also includes demo pool management and other IT hardware services for vendors.

Frank Hulshoff, Chief Commercial Officer at Flex IT, added:
“Sustainability and contributing to the circular economy are increasingly at the top of the agenda for both companies and public institutions. The recognition among businesses and governments that the use of circular IT within IT infrastructure is a cost-effective and secure solution—while also helping to achieve sustainability goals—is driving significant growth in the circular IT hardware market.”

“I firmly believe that the acquisition of MKCL by Flex IT will enable the MKCL organization to reach its full potential,” said Michael Frautz, CEO of MKCL. “Flex IT is one of the largest circular IT companies in the world, and I am proud that it has chosen MKCL as part of its long-term strategy.”

Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary conditions, including registration of the merger with the Authority for Consumers and Markets, and is expected to be finalized in the first half of 2022.

About Flex IT

Flex IT is a specialist in circular IT and is headquartered in the Netherlands, with offices in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Sweden, Bulgaria, and the United Kingdom. Flex IT’s mission is to extend the lifecycle of IT hardware products. For more than 30 years, the company has been providing sustainable hardware solutions to organizations in both the commercial and public sectors. From the very beginning, its focus has been on extending the lifecycle of IT devices and making IT hardware part of the circular economy. Flex IT products are used to make companies’ IT infrastructure more sustainable, cost-efficient, and secure.