HP Indigo’s Planet Partners hardware recycling program, implemented in collaboration with Currie Group, is reshaping how print businesses in Australia and New Zealand manage end-of-life presses and components.
When HP Indigo and Currie Group launched the Planet Partners hardware take-back program across Australia and New Zealand in July 2024, they extended a major global HP recycling initiative into one of the region’s most advanced digital print markets. Part of a program operating in 65 countries, the ANZ rollout provides a dedicated pathway for recovering HP Indigo presses and spare parts that historically ended up in landfill.
Between July 2024 and October 2025, 19 presses and multiple pallets of HP Indigo spare parts have been collected and recycled across ANZ. Combined, these activities have diverted 108 tonnes of metal, plastics, electronics and wiring from landfill.
How it works
The program is designed to integrate into the workflow of commercial print sites.
For spare parts, HP Indigo customers place used or defective components in a designated collection point on the factory floor. Currie Group technicians gather these parts during service visits and consolidate them at Currie Group facilities. Once approximately 250 kilograms is accumulated, Currie Group arranges a Planet Partners pickup. The material is then transported to an HP-approved processor where it is sorted, shredded and separated for recycling.
For press hardware, the process is equally streamlined. When a customer retires an HP Indigo press, Currie Group coordinates a scheduled collection. HP manages the removal from the site and oversees the recycling work.
Director of Operations at Currie Group, Marcus Robinson, says the simplicity of the system is deliberate.
“Before this program, many components, from bearings to electronics, would end up in the bin and ultimately landfill. Now every item is accounted for and recycled responsibly. There is no cost and no logistical burden for the customer.”
Full accountability
While HP Indigo has long refurbished and remanufactured many parts, this program ensures a recycling pathway for the remaining components that cannot be reused.
Country Service Manager – HP Indigo, South Pacific, Vinod Puravoor explains that while a large proportion of parts can be repaired and reintegrated into the supply chain, a significant volume previously fell outside formal recovery.
“Around 35 per cent of parts had no defined pathway and could end up in landfill. We wanted full accountability. Everything that cannot be remanufactured now goes into Planet Partners for responsible recycling,” Puravoor says.
This approach aligns with global principles of extended producer responsibility, expanding HP Indigo’s sustainability footprint beyond consumables.
What gets recycled
Every collection comes with a Sustainability Impact Report, documenting the breakdown of recovered materials. A single HP Indigo press can produce several tonnes of metals, large volumes of engineering plastics, wiring harnesses, cables, PCBs and electronic assemblies.
One report shared during the briefing with Print21 [MT1] showed a single press yielding five tonnes of metals, more than a tonne of plastics and almost 300 kilograms of wiring.
These reports are already being used by print businesses to support tender submissions and sustainability disclosures.
Customer uptake
Awareness among customers remains an opportunity, but momentum is growing.
“Many customers don’t realise the program exists or that it is free. Sustainability is a major conversation across the industry. This is a practical way to demonstrate impact, and we raise it with every customer,” Robinson says.
The next step is deeper visibility, including case studies with printers who are incorporating the program into their sustainability commitments.
Why it matters
As digital print expands across commercial, label and packaging markets, the lifecycle management of hardware is under increased scrutiny. Procurement teams are more frequently asking how equipment is decommissioned.
The Planet Partners program provides:
- Zero-cost decommissioning: Customers avoid labour, transport and landfill fees.
- Verified landfill avoidance: Each collection includes material breakdowns for reporting.
- A proven global framework: The program mirrors HP’s established take-back systems for IT equipment and office print devices.
Currie Group and HP Indigo expect participation to grow as more customers understand the process.
“This is the beginning of a long-term sustainability commitment across the Indigo fleet. We see it becoming part of customers’ operational culture,” Robinson says.
As the region moves toward more transparent and accountable resource use, programs like HP Indigo’s Planet Partners initiative point to a future where end-of-life management becomes standard practice across the print sector. By providing a structured, cost-free and verifiable pathway for recycling presses and components, HP Indigo and Currie Group are setting a benchmark for hardware stewardship in ANZ. With printers under increasing pressure to demonstrate genuine sustainability action, this program offers a practical model for circularity that strengthens both environmental outcomes and industry credibility.
This article was first published in the January-February 2026 edition of Print21, page 14.