Artesyn Technologies Inc. (Boca Raton, FL), a developer of power conversion solutions for communications, announced a new Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) initiative, which will allow the company to substantially reduce the lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and other hazardous substances used in the manufacture of its telecom products.
The RoHS initiative is a European Union directive – 2002/95/EC – created to limit harm to the environment and human health by restricting the use of harmful substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Effective July 1, 2006, RoHS restricts the use of cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and lead.
Artesyn is one of the first OEM suppliers to embrace RoHS, and is ahead of the directive’s July 2006 introduction in Europe. Artesyn’s Communications Products division plans to ship its first RoHS-compliant products in August 2005, with the company’s Power Conversion division following by the end of the year. Artesyn has invested heavily in equipment to support lead-free product manufacturing, and all of its manufacturing facilities are now ready for this new manufacturing operation.
