Lead laggers
The EU's RoHS legislation will require the removal of a number of hazardous substances, including lead, from electronic components by mid 2006. Similar environmental initiatives are being mandated by other countries and some states in the USA.
"This research shows that 42% of suppliers are not planning to change part numbers, which will create confusion as to which parts are compliant," said Greg Frazier, executive vice president of global supply chain services at Avnet Electronics Marketing. "Because of this, the transition to lead-free will be an enormous undertaking with a significant impact on the supply chain, profoundly affecting distributors like Avnet, who in many cases, are the main point of contact to suppliers for our customers."
The study includes background on component suppliers' part numbering plans for products free of restricted substances, contract manufacturers and OEMs wants and needs, and recommendations about viable and cost-effective practices for tracking and managing compliant parts.
A summary of the findings of the project is available from Avnet Electronics Marketing.
http://em.avnet.com/leadfree
