For major financial institutions, administrative red tape often leaves retired hardware sitting in unmonitored, high-risk storage for months. Surplex utilized its FSQS-accredited status to bypass these delays, decommissioning 1,200+ units across three major hubs in a single business week. We reclaimed 2,500 sq. ft. of prime real estate while delivering a unified, FCA-compliant audit trail for every asset.

The Challenge: Complex Logistics, Strict Compliance and Wasted Real Estate

The institution faced a three-fold challenge: managing a synchronised ‘office reclaim’ across three high-security hubs while adhering to stringent internal banking and FCA data guidelines. This logistical complexity was compounded by a growing real estate crisis, where 2,500 sq. ft. of prime office space—from Canary Wharf to the M4 corridor—remained bottlenecked by unmanaged legacy assets and retired server infrastructure.

The Surplex Solution: Compliance-First

We bypassed the procurement bottleneck to deliver a unified, FCA-aligned recovery of 1,200+ assets in a single business week.

  • FSQS-Validated Workflow

    As an FSQS-accredited partner, we integrated directly into the bank’s third-party risk management framework, bypassing lengthy compliance hurdles.

  • Unified Logistics Strategy

    We deployed a coordinated fleet across the M4/M40 corridor, treating the three sites as a single "logical" project to ensure consistent reporting.

  • Secure Chain of Custody

    From the moment a laptop left the bank's rack or desk, it was GPS-tracked and logged into our secure portal, providing the audit trail required by financial regulators.

  • Granular Asset Reporting

    We didn’t just provide a "bulk weight" receipt. Every item was scanned, logged, and issued a serialized destruction certificate to ensure 100% GDPR and WEEE compliance.

  • Sector

    Banking & Financial Services

  • Location

    Canary Wharf, Reading, & Oxford (M4/M40 Corridor)

  • Assets

    1,200+ Units (Servers & Laptops)

  • Key Win

    100% FCA Compliance & FSQS-Verified Chain of Custody

"Surplex’s FSQS accreditation gave us the confidence to move fast. They cleared three sites in a week and gave us an audit trail that satisfied our most stringent security stakeholders."

Head of Infrastructure, UK Banking Group

The Results: Rapid Decommissioning, Total Visibility and Space Optimisation

We bypassed the procurement bottleneck to deliver a unified, FCA-aligned recovery of 1,200+ assets in a single business week.

Metric
Outcome
  • Rapid Decommissioning

    1,200+ units processed and removed in a single business week with zero operational downtime.

  • Total Visibility

    Every asset tracked via a unified reporting portal with individual Certificates of Destruction for every serial number.

  • Space Optimisation

    2,500 sq. ft. of office storage reclaimed, ready for immediate redeployment or lease reduction.

Why Tier 1 banking groups and FCA-regulated firms Trust Surplex

For organisations where risk is not an option, Surplex provides a framework of absolute certainty. By aligning every project with WEEE, and GDPR standards, we ensure that your data is not just deleted, but legally and technically erased—backed by full Asset Disposal Reports (ADR) and Environmental Impact certification that make audit-readiness a given, not a goal.

Team Meeting 1

Frequently asked questions

Have questions about decommissioning your data centre? We’ve compiled answers to common inquiries to help you understand our secure, efficient, and compliant process. If your specific question isn’t here, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly for a personalised consultation.

Yes. Our logistics network is specifically designed for the M4/M40 tech corridor. We treat multi-site projects as a single “unified audit.” This means you receive one master report covering all locations, while still maintaining site-specific logs for your local facility managers. In this case study, we cleared three major hubs in just five business days.

For every asset—from a data-heavy server to a standard laptop—we provide:

  • Asset Disposal Report (ADR): A full manifest of every item collected.
  • Individual Certificates of Destruction: Linked to the specific serial number of each hard drive or SSD.
  • WEEE Waste Transfer Notes: Proving that all non-reusable hardware was recycled according to UK environmental law.
  • Environmental Impact Statement: Data for your ESG reporting, detailing carbon savings and landfill diversion.

We handle the full spectrum of banking infrastructure. This project included the decommissioning of 1,200+ units, ranging from sensitive enterprise servers and SAN storage units to high-volume laptop fleets and networking switches. Our team is trained to safely de-rack equipment and ensure that even embedded “hidden” data on networking cards is properly sanitised.

Other services we offer

IT and Technology Recycling

Make sure your business complies with all environmental and legal requirements set by law, while also supporting the circular economy. Surplex UK Limited offers thorough, compliant and eco-friendly WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling services throughout the UK, with a focus on IT and technology equipment.

Data Destruction and Sanitisation

Don’t just delete your data – destroy it. Surplex UK Limited provides certified and compliant data destruction and sanitisation services for all digital media, guaranteeing your sensitive information is permanently irrecoverable, on-site or off-site.

Battery & UPS Disposal

Safely dispose of your spent batteries and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units. Surplex UK Limited provides compliant and environmentally responsible disposal services for all types of hazardous batteries, ensuring your business meets strict regulations and protects the environment.

Asset Disposal

Surplex UK Limited ensures your IT and Technology Recycling & Data Destruction needs are handled in a way that not only meets your legal obligations, but also your organisational security requirements.

Surplex Enterprise: Large-Scale IT Disposals

Surplex Enterprise is our specialised service designed for large-scale, high-volume IT and technology disposals and upgrades. It’s specifically aimed at data centres and large corporations looking to recoup value from IT assets. All our standard secure and compliant IT asset disposition services are included , but these are specifically tailored to efficiently manage significant volumes of equipment for major organisations.