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Press Release




HERNDON, Va. (July 21, 2008) - The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) will bring together leaders from industry and academia September 22-23 to identify and prioritize areas where the electronics industry can collaborate on proactive environmental programs.

"To remain competitive, industry is going to need to keep pace with emerging material restrictions, end-of-life requirements, customer preferences for energy-efficient products, and holistic design requirements," said Bob Pfahl, vice president of global operations for iNEMI. "Environmental legislation is proliferating around the globe, and harmonization is essential. Equally important is the need for industry to coordinate its technical responses, and that requires a proactive approach. We must work with stakeholders - including governments, end users, NGOs and civil organizations - to evaluate alternative technologies and determine trade-offs between product functionality, environmental impact, reliability, safety and cost. It is important that we build the knowledge base necessary to support science-based decisions regarding environmental restrictions."

The summit will feature speakers from industry, associations and university research programs, and will include several open discussions and brainstorming sessions. Topics include:

• Leading change in industry
• Proactive programs to develop alternative materials
• Reducing energy while increasing performance
• Organizations, methodologies and tools to improve environmental performance
• Reuse, recycling and dematerialization
• Using information technology as an alternative to less sustainable options
• Metrics and next steps toward a sustainable infrastructure

"Our goal for this summit is to go beyond 'discussing the issues.'  We are looking to define specific actions for the electronics industry to take on the environmental 'front' and to organize programs to execute," said Pfahl.  "The long-term goals are to prepare industry for future regulations before regulatory deadlines are reached, and to help develop scientific bases for emerging requirements." 
The summit will be held at Motorola's Galvin Center in Schaumburg, Ill.  Registration is free for members, $250 for non-members. For additional details and to register, go to http://www.inemi.org/cms/calendar/Sustainability_Summit_Sept08.html

About iNEMI
The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative's mission is to identify and close technology gaps, which includes the development and integration of the electronics industry supply infrastructure.  This industry-led consortium is made up of more than 65 manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and consortia, government agencies and universities.  iNEMI roadmaps the needs of the electronics industry, identifies gaps in the technology infrastructure, establishes implementation projects to eliminate these gaps (both business and technical), and stimulates standards activities to speed the introduction of new technologies.  The consortium also works with government agencies, universities and other funding agencies to set priorities for future industry needs and R&D initiatives.  iNEMI is based in Herndon, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), with regional offices in Shanghai, China and Limerick, Ireland.  For additional information about iNEMI, visit http://www.inemi.org.



For further information:
Cynthia Williams, iNEMI
+1 207-871-1260
cwilliams@inemi.org