Promotion of chemical substance management

Establishing a framework to guarantee compliance with Hazardous-Substance-Free Requirements through the supply chain

Measurement and analysis of specified chemical substances

Chemical substances are used with products to improve performance and ensure quality. However, some countries and regions regulate the use of certain chemical substances that can harm the environment when disposed of. The Brother Group has established a project for addressing specified chemical substances within our Environmental Process Committee in order to rigorously manage and continually reduce the use of these substances. This project manages chemical substance data using the Brother Green Procurement Management System, an IT based system that is built in cooperation with parts and material suppliers, and is accelerating the introduction of alternatives.

Since FY2007 (April 1, 2007-March 31, 2008), we have gone beyond the six named substances ^*1 of the RoHS Directive that went into effect in Europe in July 2006 and have been testing for the 24 substances specified in JIG ^*2 at all manufacturing facilities. We require all suppliers to check for named substances in the materials and sub-materials that make up parts we purchase and then double-check deliveries ourselves when they arrive. We have built a system for preventing influx into the supply chain and assuring that our products do not contain any of the specified substances.

*1 Cadmium, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl, and polybrominated diphenylether

*2 An acronym for the Joint Industry Guide for Material Composition Declaration for Electronic Products that was issued in May 2005. This industrial guide is shared by Japan, the USA and EU with the objective of making it more efficient for businesses in the electric and electronic equipment industries to check for chemical substances in products and parts, by establishing standards for parts suppliers to identify specified chemical substances and respond to related inquiries from customers. It specifies 15 substance groups (Level A) that are either prohibited, restricted or must be reported under laws inside and outside Japan in use with products or sales of products that contain them, and nine substance groups (Level B) that could adversely affect processing of used products because they could potentially require management as hazardous waste that poses a serious threat to the environment, health or safety.

Introducing a mechanism for measuring and monitoring specified chemical substances

Education about periodic sampling

The Brother Group has established an in-house framework for measuring, analyzing, and monitoring substances as best possible in order to ensure that our products are free of the specified chemical substances. In FY2008 (April 1, 2008-March 31, 2009), we established a "periodic sampling system" in which the parts warehousing system is linked with measurement data. This system has enabled us to automatically sample appropriate parts in accordance with the warehouse situation, and measure and monitor specified chemical substances with high efficiency and reliability. Currently, this system is running at seven manufacturing facilities outside Japan and two manufacturing facilities in Japan.

Managing specified chemical substances established in Brother Industries (Shenzhen) Ltd.

Specified Chemical Substances Management Office (BISZ)

Brother Industries (Shenzhen) Ltd. (BISZ) has established the Specified Chemical Substances Management Office within its organization in 2006 to audit new suppliers for three group companies (BISZ and Brother Technology (Shenzhen) Ltd. based in Shenzhen, and Brother Corporation (Asia) Ltd. based in Hong Kong) and support improvement activities at suppliers.

The office staff visits all the suppliers for the two companies in Shenzhen, checks their systems for managing specified chemical substances as well as the status of on-site management, and gives instructions for improvement as necessary. Also, the office periodically checks all the parts and materials delivered to manufacturing facilities for specified chemical substances by fluorescent x-ray scanning. These efforts have resulted in a sharp decline in troubles related to specified chemical substances.

Facilitating communications among group companies to promote information exchange

An exchange meeting joined by BSMX and other group companies

Group companies hold exchange meetings to efficiently manage specified chemical substances. Although Brother Industries (Shenzhen) Ltd. (BISZ) and Brother Sewing Machine Xian Co., Ltd. (BSMX) manufacture different types of products, they started to exchange information in FY2008 regarding management methods and findings obtained in their operations in an effort to introduce new ideas and concepts, improve management precision, and increase efficiency in information communications.

In FY2008, BISZ, Brother Technology (Shenzhen) Ltd., and Zhuhai Brother Industries, Co., Ltd. (Zhuhai Brother) held periodic information exchange meetings (at an interval of about three months) to work together on the standardization of management activities for specified chemical substances and review of common issues in the South China area. These companies have plans to build a framework for closer communications in FY2009 (April 1, 2009-March 31, 2010). Meanwhile, staff in charge of fluorescent x-ray scanning at five group companies outside Japan (BISZ, BITM^*3, Taiwan Brother^*4, Zhuhai Brother, and BSMX) gathered in Japan for the first time in FY2008 to discuss the periodic sampling system and day-to-day challenges faced by respective companies. Through this information exchange, these companies took the first step forward towards building a more cooperative framework among group companies.

*3 Brother Industries Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd.

*4 Taiwan Brother Industries, Ltd.