What happens to the billions of dollars in perfectly good electronic components that get crushed, buried, or dumped every year? In this episode of the CTRL+Listen Podcast, host James Sweetlove sits down with Kenny McGee, CEO and founder of Component Sense, to unpack the hidden world of excess and obsolete electronics inventory — and why scrapping working parts is one of the most expensive mistakes a manufacturer can make. From the pile of neglected stock that sparked the company to the franchise rules that block redistribution, Kenny explains how surplus components quietly drain profit from the electronics supply chain.Kenny traces his journey from a 1985 apprentice at Ferranti to building a global business focused on reducing waste, breaking down how the circular economy turns dead stock back into cash. He shares what he witnessed firsthand at Agbogbloshie in Ghana — the world's largest e-waste site — walks through the consignment, InPlant, and outright purchase models that help billion-dollar factories recover money tied up in slow-moving inventory, and digs into the Corning case study. He also reveals how AI and tools like Claude are transforming the way his team builds custom solutions. Watch to learn how to stop crushing perfectly good components and start getting your money back.Resources from this Episode:

• Get in touch with Kenny• Component Sense Website• Contact Component Sense• Component Sense LinkedIn• Carolina Rapezzi's Website• Kenny's Ghana Vlog

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