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News Release from: i2 Technologies
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial Team on 04 November 2004

Hazardous materials data deal announced

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Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas and i2 Technologies have announced an agreement whereby Avnet Electronics Marketing will offer i2's data about the hazardous materials in electronic components.

Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas and i2 Technologies have announced an agreement whereby Avnet Electronics Marketing will offer i2's quantitative data about the hazardous materials in electronic components to electronic original equipment manufacturers (EOEMs) and electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers Avnet Electronics Marketing is the largest operating group of Avnet (NYSE: AVT), a Fortune 500 company, and serves customers in 68 countries i2's hazardous materials content is designed to enable customers to measure and understand their current and future compliance exposure through quantitative maximum concentration data about the six materials addressed by the European Union's Directive 2002/95/EC, Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation

The goal of the i2-Avnet relationship is to offer i2's hazardous materials content as a hosted solution via Avnet's Promiere Component Selector or BOM Optimizer, or behind a customer's firewall.

"The global deadlines for legislative compliance surrounding a whole range of hazardous materials are fast approaching," explained Phil Gallagher, president of Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas.

"It's not just about lead.

We are finding that many of our customers intend to get ahead of current legislation and design products that will be completely free of a wide range of harmful materials to gain a competitive advantage in their marketplaces.

By partnering with i2, we can leverage their competencies and proven expertise in component information to offer rich, multi-dimensional data about the materials used in electronic components, allowing for faster decisions about environmental compliance." Component suppliers have been designing components to meet restrictions on hazardous substances, but their methods of communicating about their products' substances vary widely.

A recent study, co-sponsored by Technology Forecasters and Avnet Electronics Marketing, revealed that 42 percent of component suppliers do not intend to change part numbers.

"The confusion resulting from non-standard information about substances could lead designers and purchasing professionals to remove components from products' bills of materials, to be replaced by clearly-marked compliant components," noted Pamela J.

Gordon, president of Technology Forecasters (TFI) and author of the book, Lean and Green, Profit for Your Workplace and the Environment.

"Electronic-product companies are asking for standard substance-content identification so they can ensure that their products meet applicable regulations and end-customer specifications.

Without a standard, confusion could disrupt supply chains to the detriment of component suppliers and electronic-product companies alike." "Several industry associations are addressing the standardization issue," continued Glenn Bassett, vice president of strategic business development for Avnet.

"However, our customers need information now.

Without a cost-effective and timely way to get comprehensive information about an entire bill of materials, customers will be unable to certify compliance to the various global environmental legislative initiatives.

With the i2 solution, Avnet will have the capability to help our customers make informed decisions." "In addition to the RoHS attributes, Avnet customers will have access to the Joint Industry Guide (JIG) Level A and Level B substances, as well as significant manufacturing attributes needed to determine the implications for operations," said Tony Dubreville, i2 senior vice president, content and supplier relationship management.

"We believe the scope of the available data and the various delivery methods can be a key component in customers' compliance with the new regulations," he concluded.

*About Avnet Electronics Marketing - Avnet Electronics Marketing, serving customers in 68 countries, is the largest operating group of Phoenix-based Avnet (NYSE:AVT), a Fortune 500 company with fiscal 2004 sales in excess of $10 billion, and one of the world's largest technology marketing, distribution and services companies.

Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas (EMA) serves electronic original equipment manufacturers (EOEMs) and electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers in North America and Brazil distributing electronic components from leading manufacturers and providing associated services.

The company's Web site is located at www.em.avnet.com *About i2 - leading provider of closed-loop supply chain management solutions, i2 designs and delivers software that helps customers optimize and synchronize activities involved in successfully managing supply and demand.

i2's global customer base consists of some of the world's market leaders - including seven of the Fortune global top 10.

Founded in 1988 with a commitment to customer success, i2 remains focused on delivering value by implementing solutions designed to provide a rapid return on investment.

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