Product category:
Manufacturing industry news
News Release from: Subcon | Subject: Jon Hughes
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 26 April 2006
Environmental legislation forces look at
suppliers
Companies are having to face up to a new type of legislation that forces them to take a closer look at what their suppliers and subcontractors are doing, says John Hughes, of Subcon 2006.
On top of ever tighter environmental constraints on their own businesses, companies are having to face up to a new type of legislation that forces them to take a closer look at what their suppliers and subcontractors are doing too, says John Hughes, Event Director of Subcon 2006 Visitors to the show will have the chance to assess for themselves whether they are working with the right partners
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 13 Feb 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
World water speed record boat staged at Subcon
Visitors to the UK's Subcon 2006 subcontractors' exhibition will have a first chance to see the 'Quicksilver' World Water Speed record boat and to learn about the engineering story.
Subcon builds business for gear making
Mini Gears pecialises in the manufacture of all kinds of gears and racks and is currently expanding its ground gears section for high-speed applications.
Subcon 2006 takes place in Hall 3A at the NEC, Birmingham, from 16 to 18 May and aims to make sourcing suppliers easy for any buyer of subcontract manufacturing services.
"There is a lot of legislation to come to terms with," says Leigh Holloway of environmental consultancy eco3.
"And the focus is shifting from the process to the product itself - what materials can be used, how it can be packaged, what has to happen at the end of its life and so on." These new laws make manufacturers responsible for a product through its complete life cycle - including how it is disposed of - something that has never before been an issue for companies.
Further reading
Industry bodies line up to support subcon 2005
UK subcontracting show, Subcon 2005, has attracted the support of highly respected organisations from such a wide range of industries and technologies.
Subontracting show has machine tool zone
UK subcontract manufacturing exhibition will feature a complementary Machine Tool Zone to give machine tool companies the chance to reach a wide range of high-level buyers.
Subcontracting topic papers called for
The UK Subcon 2005 conference entitled 'Sourcing and subcontracting in global markets - survival strategies for buyers and suppliers' will be held alongside the Subcon exhibition.
"It used to be you made a product, sold it, honoured the guarantee and then you were free of it - but not any more." He says that as well these new responsibilities there will also be tighter constraints on the materials you can use.
What's more, a lot of waste products are being reclassified as hazardous - which means they are a lot more difficult to get rid of.
So how does that impact on someone who is using a lot of subcontractors, and what do they have to look out for? "In the regulations relating to materials restrictions, a lot of your compliance is totally dependent on the subcontractor.
If you are buying components, assemblies, materials from your subcontractor you will be the one that is legally responsible for your product in the market, but they will be the ones that hold the key to your legal compliance," says Leigh.
This means that a lot more detailed information will have to be passed up and down the supply chain.
"A lot more information will have to be held, there will be a lot more due diligence, and you will have to look more closely at your contract purchase agreements - basically you are going to have to tie up a lot more loose ends.
A number of your suppliers may not know what materials are going into your products - they've never had to look at them in so much detail before." He says that a lot of this legislation has already happened and companies aren't aware of it, but ignorance is no defence and companies have been prosecuted under legislation such as the Packaging Directive and we've even had the first prosecution under the WEEE Directive which covers the recovery and recycling of electronic equipment. Request a free brochure from Subcon ...
"Some legislation is already in place more is just over the horizon and there will be even more to come in the future so you might as well prepare for it now." Leigh is a Helpline Advisor for Envirowise and on 16th May he will be speaking at Subcon 2006 on sustainable supply chain issues - see the seminar programme for more information.
• Subcon: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
