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he VFX industry is in the midst of a storage crunch. Grappling with economic headwinds, production halts and shifting global pipelines, studios are under mounting pressure to deliver cutting-edge visuals against demanding timelines with shrinking budgets. And while high-performance storage solu- tions do exist, they often come with a premium price tag. Recently, however, a shift has start- ed to emerge. Increasingly, studios are considering smarter, more cost-effec- tive hardware to balance performance demands without blowing their budget. One option in particular is proving popu- lar: refurbished. The VFX industry's growing tech demands The VFX industry has become a formi- dable force in shaping the technology landscape. Studios are racing to create high-resolution content for compute-in- tensive activities, like streaming, gaming and VR experiences. With this comes the need for powerful equipment to generate and process it. As a result, the pressure on hardware to deliver faster rendering, realtime previews and multi-layer com- posites has never been greater. Speed, storage and precision play an integral role in handling these ever-increasing workloads, meaning choosing the right technology is a 'make or break' decision for modern VFX businesses. And there are several factors to consider. While acquiring top-tier hardware is essential for performance, resources can be limited. Businesses that need to upgrade quickly can find themselves stuck at the back of the queue due to low stock, having to wait weeks, or even months, to get what they need. Buying new technology can also be expensive, with higher costs usually reinforced fur- ther down the line when the time comes to replace it. Even in an industry full of stars, VFX studios are under the same operational and financial strains as ev- eryone else. In fact, despite blockbusters sometimes pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars, margins for those creating the magic are often tight. Storage, sustain- ability, budget control and the ability to scale up equipment as and when needed, remain a concern for VFX spe- cialists all over the world. Balancing speed, precision and unforeseen costs Demanding VFX work- loads aren't disappearing any time soon, so it's essential that businesses think carefully about their technology strategy to support future growth and operational potential. Opting for equipment that isn't scalable or efficient could mean money wasted, reduced productivity or projects coming to a complete halt. But refur- bished can help to avoid these issues. Offering excellent performance at a fraction of the cost of buying new, refurbished workstations enable com- panies to dodge the pricey labels and long wait times that often come with buying new hardware. Any product ad- vertised by reputable sellers should be readily available and thoroughly tested to ensure top performance, enabling studios to carry out advanced tasks at pace, with the flexibility to scale operations in the future. This means they don't only get what they need right now, but are fully prepared to meet growing demands down the line, without requiring a full overhaul. IT tailored to VFX workloads The benefits of opting for more sus- tainable and affordable IT equipment are clear, but to get the most from your technology, it's important to consider how you'll be using it. For workstations to perform effectively, they need to be built to suit the tasks they'll be doing. Take ETB's 'Configure Your Own' tool as an example. Our custom-built worksta- tions are one of the main reasons cus- tomers choose us. From movie makers to virtual reality gaming experts, we help them meet the demand of their audience by working to their exact specifications. Bespoke services from refurbished sellers can be a good option to answer the unique needs often found in the VFX industry. A more made-to-measure approach enables operators to mix and match different components to create their perfect setup, often giving them more power for less money. Whether it's top-of-the-range GPUs for computa- tionally-intensive tasks, like rendering or simulating, or scalable infrastructure built to last, developing the right solution from scratch means there isn't the same level of sacrifice when it comes to perfor- mance or quality. Promising a sustainable future It's not just the financial savings or performance levels that make refur- bished systems appealing. They're also a more sustainable choice, reducing the environmental footprint of an industry that generates substantial electronic waste. Refurbishing technology is far less energy-intensive than making it from scratch, contributing up to 90 percent less carbon emissions than new tech. Additionally, opting for reconditioned systems keeps perfectly-healthy hard- ware in use longer, avoiding it going to landfills and becoming e-waste. Finding the right balance As demand for visual effects continues to surge, companies must start looking at alternative, more strategic approach- es to solving their storage challenges. Being under growing pressure to expand capacity and output, all the while being sustainable, is a tricky balance — especially when combined with the need for faster speeds and unique tech specs. Refurbished systems offer valuable benefits: financially, environmentally and operationally. Founded in 2001, ETB Technologies has established itself as a leading supplier of refurbished servers, storage and network equipment, providing complete units and component parts to customers globally. CAN REFURBISHED TECH HELP SOLVE STORAGE CHALLENGES? BY PETER MILLER SALES MANAGER ETB TECHNOLOGIES WWW.ETB-TECH.COM THIS MADE- TO-MEASURE APPROACH OFFERS SEVERAL BENEFITS T STORAGE www.postmagazine.com 22 POST SEPT/OCT 2025