Certificates

Environmental Policy Statement

Invotec will strive to conduct its business with respect and care for the environment. We believe that employing sound environmental strategies contributes to our competitive strength and benefits our stakeholders, customers, employees and society.

In support of this Policy we will:

• Comply with all relevant legislation and regulation governing our operations
• Continuously improve our environmental management system and our environmental performance
• Strive to prevent pollution, minimise waste, use resources efficiently and re-use / recycle materials throughout our operations wherever effective
• Consider environmental impacts when reviewing customers design requirements when selecting or changing materials, equipment or processes
• Provide education and training to our employees to raise awareness and understanding of their responsibilities for environmental stewardship
• Communicate this policy throughout the Company and with interested parties. Copies of this Policy are freely available to the Public upon request
• Implement this policy as a primary management objective and use it as a framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets

Tim Tatton– Managing Director
Invotec Group.

Ref: Lead Free Implementation and the RoHS Directive [EC Directive 2003/95/EC]
This document is an overview of our current position on this subject and addresses the most
commonly asked questions:

1. Do Items sold by Invotec Group fall under / comply with the RoHS Directive?

The scope of the RoHS Directive (and the WEEE Directive) specifies that they are only applicable to specific categories of electrical equipment (with equipment being the key word). As Invotec Group is a component supplier (Printed Circuit Boards) the directive does not specifically apply to our products. As such items sold by Invotec Group do not in themselves fall under the scope of the directive.

However, as our goods are used in the manufacture of electrical equipment, they may have a bearing on the future compliance of the electrical equipment they are used in. As such we need to be able to support the needs of our customer by offering products that will enable them to build RoHS Directive compliant Electrical Equipment. We use a large number of process chemistries and materials in the manufacture of a PCB and are in contact with our supply chain to ensure we are in a position to be able to supply PCB's that are used in Electrical Equipment that is in compliance with the directive. At this time Invotec Group can confirm that to the best of its knowledge, none of the products we produce contain:

Mercury
Hexavalent Chromium
Cadmium
Polybrominated Biphenyls
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

However, a considerable quantity of our products contain Lead. This is present in the solderable coating on the supplied PCB whenever a customer specifies Hot Air Solder Level SnPb as the surface finish.

2. Will we be making any changes to our products in order to make them RoHS Compliant?

We will not be making changes to any PCB that we manufacture unless requested by the customer. As the RoHS Directive does not specifically apply to our product (see Q1), and we are not always made aware of either the end application or market it is to placed on, we will continue to supply HASL SnPb products for as long as there is a customer demand. Several ‘Lead Free’ finishes exist and have been in widespread use for many years. In addition to being lead free they also offer benefits to the PCB assembler. Should you wish to receive further details of the surface finishes available please contact your Account Manager.

Invotec Circuits Tamworth Limited
Hedging Lane
Dosthill
Tamworth
B77 5HH
Tel: +44(0)1827 263000
Fax: +44(0)1827 263230

3. Lead Free Implementation Roadmap

Many of our Customers have specified lead free finishes for many years. Not necessarily because they are lead free, but because of the many advantages they offer to the assembler compared with traditional Hot Air Solder Levelled Tin Lead. As board complexity has increased, so has the demand for alternative finishes.

4. Available Lead Free Finishes

Within the Invotec Group we offer:

Immersion NiAu
Immersion Tin
Immersion Silver
Lead-free HAL

Of these, Immersion NiAu is the most established and has been in widespread use for many years. Today it represents approximately 50% of all PCB’s that we supply.

5. Compatibility with Lead Free Components, Fluxes and Soldering Techniques

The vast range of components, fluxes and soldering techniques in use means that it is not possible for us to supply data on the compatibility of the above finishes with specific applications. Each Customer will need to establish the surface finish that works best for them in their particular application. Invotec will work with Customers to support specific manufacturers' data sheets and guigelines for each specific finish.

6. Handling and Storage of Lead Free Finish PCB’s

Because the Lead Free finishes we offer are well established, so the Handling and Storage of such PCB’s are also well established and do not change as a result of the RoHS Directive.

7. Will we be changing our Part Numbers?

If you instruct us to change the solderable finish on a PCB we currently manufacture for you we would allocate a new Tool (Internal Part) Number to the PCB. Depending upon the chosen finish and the existing board design it may well be necessary for us to make some minor modifications, typically to the soldermask. Such changes would be discussed with you prior to implementation. PCB’s are however traditionally ordered against the Customers Part Number and Revision level and not our internal Part (Tool) Number. The decision on whether to change the order reference Part Number and or Revision Level therefore rests with the Customer. We would, however, recommend that at the very least the part revision status is amended in order to avoid any confusion.

8. Labelling and Traceability of Lead Free products

The lead free finishes offered are currently visibly distinguishable from a traditional HASL SnPb finish. It will also be detailed on the C of C supplied with the deliver 'if the PCB's are RoHS Compliant.