Turning a $20M Liability into Leverage

A large hyperscaler found themselves with a mountain of excess HBM memory. The plan was to send it back to the OEM, until the OEM pulled the old “Sure, but only if you buy more stuff from us” move. Translation: accept their terms or eat a $20 million loss. Not exactly an appetizing offer.

Enter mender. We specialize in making awkward inventory situations… less awkward (and more profitable). Quietly, we introduced the excess HBM memory into the open market without so much as a ripple on the OEM’s radar. Our network of Tier 3 and 4 ODMs, integrators, and builders got first dibs, and we worked side-by-side with the hyperscaler’s category managers to design a program that didn’t just move product, it moved the needle.

Instead of swallowing a $20 million hit, the hyperscaler walked away with a payout above their original acquisition cost. That means they recouped their investment and regained leverage over the OEM—no longer shackled to those “buy more to sell back” conditions.

What started as a potential financial black eye turned into a win-win: the hyperscaler kept control, the assets found a productive second life, and mender once again proved that smart disposition and strategic remarketing aren’t just about cleaning up—they’re about leveling up.