It really is about the future...
Following the creation of the ISO 14000:1996 standard, NRC Electronics, Inc. implemented an environmental strategy as part of its overall effort to completely remove hazardous materials from all internal and external manufacturing processes.

In 1990, NRC became the leader in environmental preservation by measuring the adherence of business partners to the ISO 14000 environmental standard. This involved surveying our entire inter-relational business system (suppliers, customers, representatives, and core, raw-materials manufacturers). This immediately allowed our “green-friendly/insistent” customers to make more informed business decisions right away. This was one of the industry's first formal declarations of environmental commitment and included a comprehensive action plan towards the well being of people, environments and commercial firms.

One of these standards (the international Lead-Free Roadmap) requires that European assemblies be lead-free by 6/1/2006. NRCs environmental “Operation Green-Plus” component of the “Think Green” strategy cuts through the red tape and confusion that has surrounded these requirements since their inception. By accurately and specifically measuring the precise progress of our suppliers through a comprehensive, multiple-category survey, we provide relevant and timely data to all of our clients according to their individual needs. We feel that this is the best way to deal with the multitude of approaches currently used by our suppliers in their effort to convert to lead-free products. These varied approaches have already had a significant effect on the global electronics distribution channel. NRCs survey also includes other pertinent, amassed data in addition to its current educational seminar on how to prepare for the upcoming standards.

At that time, the industry was only “talking” about turning over a “environmental” leaf. NRC Electronics, Inc., has taken a proactive role in reporting on the measured progress of its core-material suppliers towards eminent, upcoming environmental standards.

NRC has already taken steps to identify suppliers that are ahead of the game, in order to avoid major stumbling blocks for our customers in the coming years. NRC has taken these steps as a result of managements view of the seriousness of this matter as it effects the supply chain of the future.

NRC continues to answer these challenges with an annual “environmental awareness campaign”. Part of this campaign provides counseling services that exceed the requirements, in advance of their proposed starting deadlines, for existing customers and manufacturers. Over sixty customers and raw material suppliers were in attendance at last years annual environmental awareness conference, at the Boca Raton Country Club. Lead is a low-cost, conductive material that is widely used in the electronics industry. NRC has been working the lead-free?issue for years. In many cases, NRC has utilized replacement materials such as tin to obviate the need for lead. In the past, NRC conducted a world-wide, lead-free awareness conference to help customers reach their lead-free objectives in a timely manor. NRC is now capable of providing the majority of its components in lead-free conditions. Four years ago, NRC won EEPNs coveted 'Product of the Year Award' for its lead-free resistors. At this time, NRCs resistors were already being produced with 100% lead-free materials in the plating and solder on terminal surfaces.

Electro-Medical Devices: Regulations & Standards Conference: September 18-19, 2007, London, UK: For more details, please visit www.informa-ls.com/electromed33 or contact registrations@N0SPAM.informa-ls.com34; tel:44(0)20-7017-7481.

Forum On Global Environmental Regulations October 10-11, 2007, Ottawa Canada: ISESE?735 is intended to provide a forum for representatives from industry, government and enforcement agencies to discuss the details surrounding the implementation and enforcement of established and emerging global environmental regulations impacting the electronics industry. There will be presenters from Asia-Pacific, EU and North America, including two EU TAC members, speaking on various aspects of environmental regulation in Europe (WEEE/RoHS included), Korea, Germany, and others. More information can be found at www.isese07.com35

To continue reducing lead used for solder, electrode materials, and in stabilizers. We currently provide substitutes for over 92% of our products that still utilize lead connecting solder (which has a lead content of less than 85%). To continue researching the substitution for lead contained in ceramic and some glass materials...and to keep researching alloys that utilize lead-free materials, even if the present EU RoHS directive of February 2003 exempts the lead used in these parts, as it is technically difficult to substitute other materials for the lead used in such parts. To continue to become as green as is economically feasible, realizing that any expenditures incurred by NRC now will undoubtedly pay off in the future.