Assurant, Inc., a leading global business services company that supports, protects, and connects major consumer purchases, has officially opened its new Innovation and Device Care Center located just outside Nashville in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.
The new 259,000-square-foot facility is double the size of the previous location in La Vergne, Tenn., and will be a key hub for Assurant’s Device Lifecyle Solutions business, which in 2023 alone repurposed 22 million devices. The new, state-of-the-art facility will also house the Company’s Automation and Engineering team, which develops new and innovative ways to leverage automation, robotics, AI, and machine learning to create greater value in the global supply chain and grow the secondary device market.
“Our relocation to this facility is part of our global supply chain transformation, which is delivering greater value for our clients, a better experience for our employees, and growth opportunities for the company,” said Keith Demmings, president and CEO, Assurant. “Having been in the Nashville area since 2017, the relocation and expansion into this new facility allows us to maintain the diverse and incredibly talented team who will take us into the next phase of our growth, while enabling us to improve operational efficiency and scale.”
At the new Mt. Juliet facility, approximately 800 employees work to extend the life of devices and reduce e-waste by processing, testing, and refurbishing connected devices. Customers trading in their old devices not only enjoy the financial benefits of trade-in credits; they are also making a positive impact on the environment for every device that is reused in lieu of a new device manufactured.
Using estimates from Assurant Carbon IQ℠, a proprietary Assurant solution that provides insights on the carbon impact of individual connected devices, approximately 495,000 metric tons of carbon emissions were avoided from the nine million devices repurposed at Assurant’s previous facility in 2023 alone.
“While others may outsource, this new facility demonstrates our investments in innovative technologies and our people, allowing us to continuously improve our customer and employee experiences by owning every step in the process,” said Biju Nair, EVP and president, Global Connected Living and International. “These investments, along with our talented team, contribute to greater sustainability in the connected device ecosystem by efficiently supplying the global secondary device market.”
“Centrally located and in close proximity to our state’s capital, Mt. Juliet is primed to support Assurant and the opening of its new Innovation and Device Care Center,” said Stuart C. McWhorter, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. “Assurant will benefit from Nashville’s thriving tech talent pool and access to top-tier research institutions while also having the local support and resources needed for continued growth in Wilson County. I thank Assurant for its decision to stay in Tennessee, and we look forward to seeing the success that follows today’s grand opening.”
With significant room for growth, the new Device Care Center currently services virtually every mobile device brand and model for its broad range of clients. Assurant won the Frost & Sullivan 2024 Customer Value Leadership Award for U.S. Mobile Device Trade-in and Upgrade Excellence in Best Practices, a testament to the work done at the Device Care Center.
To commemorate the opening of the new facility and Assurant’s continued commitment to the Nashville metro area community, the Assurant Foundation has awarded a grant of $100,000 over two years to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro. The grant will support the construction of a new Assurant Engineering Innovation Lab and expand the company’s partnership with MTSU’s Mechatronics Engineering program, from where several Assurant employees are alumni. The grant aligns with Assurant’s commitment to strengthen communities with a focus on education for inspiring leaders of the future.
“We are deeply grateful for Assurant’s generous $100,000 donation and our strong, collaborative partnership. This gift is a game-changer for our Mechatronics Engineering students, who will soon benefit from hands-on learning in the state-of-the-art Assurant Engineering Innovation Lab,” said Dr. Greg Van Patten, Dean of the MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences.
“This gift reflects Assurant’s confidence in the quality and caliber of MTSU’s Engineering Technology graduates,” continued Dean Van Patten. “As we continue to educate an increasing number of students in STEM fields, we are proud to play a key role in supporting the growth of innovative Tennessee companies like Assurant.”
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