Getting the Lead Out - European Regulations Force Electronics Companies to Clean up, Impact Local Manufacturers and Distributors
Consumers will soon have the comfort of knowing that their next laptop, cell phone and microwave may be free of hazardous components. Meanwhile, electronic component manufacturers and distributors are scrambling to re-engineer their supply chains.
Fort Worth, TX (PRWEB) May 24, 2005 -– Consumers will soon have the comfort
of knowing that their next laptop, cell phone and microwave may be free of
hazardous components. For that they can thank the European Union, for issuing
the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive that takes effect in the
summer of 2006.
The RoHS directive limits the amount of lead and other
toxic substances that electronics manufacturers can use in their products. While
the EU directive doesn't have the force of law in the United States, many
U.S.-based electronics manufacturers are expected to adopt the EU standards for
all of their products, not just those intended for sale in Europe.
Though
this may come as good news for consumers, the EU directive has manufacturers and
distributors scrambling to re-engineer their supply chains. As one of the top
North American electronic component distributors, Allied Electronics must also
manage the implications of the directive.
“While Allied does not
manufacture or design products, many of the components we sell end up in
products sold in the European Union,” says Lee Davidson, president of Allied
Electronics. “Very soon, our customers will want to know if the products they
spec into their designs are ‘RoHS compliant.’ It will be our job to make sure
that they have easy access to this information.”
One potential dilemma
that distributors like Allied can expect to come out of the RoHS directive is
the various transition plans of their suppliers. For example, some manufacturers
have introduced new lead-free designs to existing parts, while others plan to
identify compliant products by package labeling.
“The challenges of
transition are substantial. Distributors and manufacturers will have to work
very closely to ensure the migration to RoHS complaint product is seamless to
the customer,” says Davidson. “We have taken a stance that we will be an
industry leader in providing the latest information on RoHS for both our
customers and our suppliers. We want everyone to have the information they need
so our customers can make the right decisions when buying products from us.”
At Allied, multi-functional project teams have been established to sort
through the EU directives and to work with its 300+suppliers to come up with
solutions, in hopes that this approach will minimize any disruption in the
supply chain and to customers.
“Allied is committed to conducting
business in an environmentally friendly manner,” says Davidson. “We fully
support the objectives of the directives and are working hard to ensure we
provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive information about
compliance.”
About Allied Electronics
Allied Electronics’ headquarters
is located in Fort Worth, Texas with 57 sales branches across the United States
and Canada. Allied is a subsidiary of Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), the
world leading catalog component distributor. Electrocomponents has operations in
six continents and headquarters in Oxford, England. For more information, visit
www.alliedelec.com.
Contact:
Roxanne Martinez (817)
595-8566
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Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prweb243766.htm