Solder Companies State Position on Conflict Minerals

SHANGHAI, Jun. 10 --The association representing many of the world's major solder manufacturers this week supported efforts by the tin industry to validate responsible sourcing.

The Solder Products Value Council (SPVC) of IPC said that it "supports governments, non-governmental organizations and industry groups in their efforts to eliminate trade of 'conflict metals,' especially mined tin from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The IPC SPVC believes that based on solder manufacturers' position in the value chain, smelters and mines are in the best position to develop and implement a system to ensure mineral traceability from the exporter back to the mine site and to develop chain of custody data. Furthermore, the IPC SPVC supports ITRI's efforts to achieve that goal."

Many solder companies attended a Supply Chain Workshop organised by the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) in conjunction with ITRI in Vancouver on 20 May.

Members of the IPC SPVC include: AIM; Amtech, Inc.; Cookson Electronics; Henkel Corporation; Indium Corporation; Inventec Performance Chemicals; Kester; Koki Company Ltd.; Metallic Resources, Inc.; Nihon Superior Company Ltd.; Nordson EFD LLC; P. Kay Metal Inc.; Qualitek; Redring Solder (M) SDN; Senju Metal Industry; and Sigma Ming Gao Electronics.