Muratec Deploys Fujitsu's Chemical Substances Management System

Fujitsu today announced that Murata Machinery, Ltd. (Muratec), which manufactures and sells communications equipment including multifunction printers, as well as factory-automated systems, machine tools and other industrial equipment, has recently deployed Fujitsu's chemical substances management system. Muratec's decision to employ the system, which is compliant with the EU's REACH⁽¹⁾ chemical substances legislation, was made to further enhance the company's compliance with chemical substances regulations as part of its broader environmental efforts. The system, which began operations in June 2010, is being used as a new information platform for Muratec Communication Equipment Division, which designs and develops multifunction printers and related equipment.

PLEMIA/ECODUCE, Fujitsu's chemical substances management system, has made it possible for Muratec Communication Equipment Division to accurately track any toxic chemicals used in its products, while making major improvements to the speed, efficiency and quality of its process for managing chemical substances. The company plans to use the system to strengthen its green procurement, of which purchasing eco-friendly components and materials is a major priority.

Background

In 2005, Muratec Communication Equipment Division was among the first to build a chemical substances management system that is compliant with the EU's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS⁽²⁾) and deploys a database system that links with its components list. Within the Muratec Communication Equipment Division, there remained a need to quickly build a database system with the flexibility to serve as an information platform for global regulations and provide robust support for chemical substances management processes. This was essential to help the division meet the EU's initial notification deadline of May 2011 for a company importing an amount totaling over one ton per year of a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC⁽³⁾) that is present above a concentration of 0.1% by weight in each product, as well as to comply with the latest green procurement survey format promulgated by the Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI⁽⁴⁾) and the Joint Article Management Promotion-consortium (JAMP⁽⁵⁾).

In order to meet the needs above, Fujitsu worked in collaboration with Fujitsu Nagano Systems Engineering Limited—which boasts a track record and know-how from helping roughly 110 companies build chemical substances management systems—to construct a system in only three months. The new system was based on Fujitsu's PLEMIA/ECODUCE chemical substances management system and improves the speed, efficiency, and quality of Muratec Communication Equipment Division's process for managing chemical substances, in addition to enabling efficient transmission and sharing of environmental information with business associates.

The new system handles data for chemical substances to be assessed under Muratec Communication Equipment Division's green procurement guidelines, as well as data for Substances of Very High Concern as designated under REACH regulations. The new system enables integrated data management for more than 2,000 components in a single product. It also allows users to retrieve and view products and components using a variety of parameters, including materials and chemical substances, and list them. As the system enables regulated substances to be added, referenced, and registered, these substances can be used as a basis for quickly specifying and surveying materials and components that employ problematic substances. Furthermore, the system can survey materials and components procured from business partners on a per-company basis, making the surveying process quicker and efficient, thereby reducing the workload involved.

Based on the PLEMIA/ECODUCE chemical substances management system, which enables customers to accurately and efficiently manage and transmit information on chemical substances throughout the supply chain, including product and materials manufacturers, Fujitsu plans to continue building systems to support customers in managing chemical substances, a process that has become increasingly complex due to the need to comply with REACH regulations and green procurement.

Figure: New information platform based on PLEMIA/ECODUCE at Muratec Communication Equipment Division