Plastic bearings are certified green by Ricoh

Plastic bearing specialist Sarnatech BNL has become the first supplier to comply with the third and final stage of Ricoh's Green Procurement Policy - Chemical Management Systems (CMS). CMS is a management system designed and implemented to further develop Ricoh Group's environmental activity by ensuring that substances banned either by Ricoh Group or legislation, are not used in parts or processes for the company's products. By introducing CMS to the supply chain, Ricoh will meet its goal of procuring only materials, parts and products with low environmental impacts. BNL began working with Ricoh on Stage 1 of the Green Procurement Policy back in 2002, completing and complying with all three stages way ahead of the September 2005 target. The North Yorkshire-based manufacturer has been working in partnership with Ricoh in both the UK and Japan for many years, supplying a variety of fully integrated custom-designed bearing assemblies for the company's photocopying machines. Lightweight, low-friction and cost-effective, the BNL products are used in the paper scanning system enabling precise linear movement of the scanner head, and in the paper transfer system of the machine, ensuring the accurate movement of paper to avoid annoying paper jams. Ricoh's CMS prohibits the use of substances that are restricted by domestic and foreign laws and regulations. The 16 banned substances include asbestos, mercury, hexavalent chromium and lead. In order to comply, BNL had to first fully understand the procurement route of all goods supplied to Ricoh. This includes the activities carried out at BNL as well as those of its suppliers. This investigation had to trace as far back through the supply chain as possible, ultimately to the raw material manufacturer. Once the procurement route had been fully understood, BNL had to establish if there were any processes within that route that could have the potential for cross-contamination with banned substances. Environmental awareness is strongly embedded in the culture at BNL and being ISO14001 certified, meant that the company already had strict standards and procedures in place. Throughout the whole project, BNL found only one nonconformance to Ricoh's CMS - one small, rarely used tin of antiseize compound that contained lead. A lead-free alternative was quickly found. Speaking about the company's achievement, Sarnatech BNL quality systems Manager, Alan Hurd, said: 'Working in such close partnership with Ricoh over the years has resulted in many improvements to our own organisation and processes'. 'BNL has always been very aware of the impact its business has on the environment and for many years has promoted an environmentally friendly work ethic'. 'In June 2003 the company was accredited to ISO14001 and by complying with Ricoh's own CMS, we have reinforced our commitment to the protection of the environment'. 'Everyone at BNL is very proud of this achievement'. 'As BNL were Ricoh UK's Supplier of the Year in 2004, we were already impressed by their consistant quality, cost, delivery and environmental achievements'. 'As a company, they take great personal pride in their continual improvement'. 'It was fantastic when they embraced our CMS activity and were the first of our suppliers to achieve the standard in July this year', said Elaine Herwin, European Procurement Specialist at Ricoh.