Tech recycling company celebrates arrival in Las Vegas from Atlanta

U.S. Micro Corp. has settled into its new facility in Las Vegas.

The 15-year-old technology recycling company on Wednesday officially celebrated its arrival in Sin City from Atlanta by showing off its new 130,000-square-foot facility to local businesses, politicians and the business groups responsible for recruiting the firm to Southern Nevada.

"This is big for us," said Jim Kegley, CEO and founder of U.S. Micro. "Las Vegas is our growth market. It also allows us to be in California without being in California."

Built for $15 million, the two-story building will house administrative offices, warehouse space and a recycling facility. U.S. Micro recycles 10 percent of its e-waste into new manufactured products such as bike racks, parking lot curbing and plastic lumber products.

After buying old hardware, U.S. Micro technicians wipe all the data, then it is stripped for parts, resold or recycled. Kegley said 90 percent of materials collected end up being resold.

Sixty percent of the re­furbished electronics is shipped overseas to some 80 different countries, while 40 percent is sold in the United States.

The new facility is closed to the public, but the company plans to let consumers drop off old electronics once or twice a year.

U.S. Micro chose Las Vegas for its West Coast headquarters after meeting with the Nevada Development Authority in 2010. The company decided Nevada was a more attractive option that California or Washington State.

"What great news this was," Nevada Development Authority President and CEO Somer Hollingsworth told a crowd of about 80 people Wednesday at a ceremony at U.S. Micro. "This is the kind of company that will draw other companies to Southern Nevada."

Hollingsworth pegged U.S. Micro's economic impact to Southern Nevada at $56 million over the next five years.

U.S. Micro chose Wednesday to host its grand opening to coincide with the International Consumer Electronics Show 2012 being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Contact reporter Chris Sieroty at csieroty
@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.