TOKYO, Nov 10, 2016 – (JCN
Newswire) – Fujitsu today announced the launch of two new versions of its green
procurement solutions for manufacturing companies. One is the FUJITSU
Manufacturing Industry Solution PLEMIA M3 ECODUCE, which is for large-scale systems,
and the other is the FUJITSU Manufacturing Industry Solution PLEMIA EcoLink,
which is for small- and medium-sized systems. Both support the new chemSHERPA
information transmission scheme for chemical substances found in products,
promoted by the Japanese Ministry for the Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
Sales of the new versions begin today, only in Japan.



The chemSHERPA is a new scheme for transmitting
information about the chemical substances contained in materials across an
entire supply chain, from raw materials production through to manufacturing. By
now supporting chemSHERPA, which is not limited by industry or product field,
in ECODUCE and EcoLink, in addition to the previously-supported JAMP(1) and
JGPSSI(2) standard schemes, Fujitsu is contributing to increasing the
efficiency of raw materials makers (upstream companies) and components makers
(midstream companies) in responding to surveys. It also streamlines operations
for final product makers (downstream companies) in aggregating those responses.



Background



In response to regulations on the chemical
substances contained in products, such as REACH(3), an EU regulation that is
spreading around the world, the manufacturing industry in Japan is strongly
promoting green procurement, which allows companies to comprehend and
appropriately manage the chemical substances found in products across their whole
supply chains.



Currently, a number of standard schemes for
information transmission exist, such as JAMP and JGPSSI, but less than 40% of
transmitted information uses these standard schemes, with more than 60% using
formats unique to each company, forcing raw materials makers (upstream
companies) and component makers (midstream companies) to support multiple
different schemes for each customer, creating an excessive burden.



METI has promoted the chemSHERPA since 2015. It
was developed with the goal of being effectively used not only in Japan, but
with a focus on Asia, across the supply chain as a whole and without regard for
industry or product field. It is expected to be used as an international
standard scheme going forward.



Fujitsu has now added chemSHERPA as an information
transmission scheme to ECODUCE and EcoLink, supporting survey tasks in green
procurement.



Features of the New Versions of ECODUCE and EcoLink



1. New support for chemSHERPA



In addition to JAMP, JGPSSI, JAMA(4), and IMDS(5),
ECODUCE and EcoLink have added support for chemSHERPA as a scheme for
transmitting information about the chemical substances found in products. Each
company can select from this wide range of schemes according to the receiving
company.



2. Smoothly converts existing data, enabling it to
be put to use



Another feature of the solutions is that they are
equipped with a function to convert information on chemical substances
contained in components that has been collected in a conventional JAMP format
to a chemSHERPA format. Being able to utilize existing data in a mix of formats
enables users to start leveraging chemSHERPA smoothly.



3. Provision of latest legal regulatory
information through Fujitsu research



Fujitsu specialists will collect and update the
latest legal regulatory information, which is revised randomly, on the chemical
substances contained in products. It can be compared with component information
collected through chemSHERPA, enabling users to check their compliance in a
timely manner.



Pricing and Availability

Sales Target



300 licenses over three years.



(1) JAMP



Joint Article Management Promotion Consortium. A
manufacturing industry self-regulation consortium with the goal of creating and
spreading specific systems for appropriately managing and smoothly transmitting
information such as the chemical substances found in products and raw materials
throughout the supply chain. Established in September 2006. 



(2) JGPSSI



Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization
Initiative. An electronics and appliance industry self-regulation association
aimed at reducing the labor required for green procurement surveys and
increasing the quality of answers by standardizing the list of substances to be
surveyed and the survey answer format. Established in January 2001. 



(3) REACH



A European Union regulation regarding the
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. It came
into force in June 2007. 



(4) JAMA



Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.
An industry body made up of 14 automobile manufacturers in Japan. 



(5) IMDS



International Material Data System. A material
data system for the automobile industry.