Contact: Dan Green 847-790-5371 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IPC TO CREATE ROADMAP FOR LEAD-FREE ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLIES Northbrook, IL 05/14/99 As Europe decides whether to adopt a resolution to eliminate lead in electronics assemblies by 2004, IPC -- Association Connecting Electronics Industries is taking a lead role in encouraging the development of lead-free electronics assemblies by creating a roadmap to create useful alternatives. "Work has taken place on lead-free alternatives for many years. Many solutions exist, but cannot work unless another condition is met. For example, solder alloy must be compatible with component finishes," says IPC vice president of standards and technology Dave Bergman. "A roadmap that can get the entire industry marching in the same direction may make possible what some say is impossible." IPC will hold its first meeting to develop the roadmap at IPCWorks '99, which serves as the IPC Fall Meeting. The event includes an International Summit on Lead-free Electronics Assemblies and is taking place October 26-28, 1999, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis, MN. Bergman says that every facet of the printed wiring board (PWB) industry has to be involved for the roadmap to be an effective tool, including participants from the supply //more// LEAD-FREE ROADMAP, Pg. 2 chain, material suppliers, component manufacturers, PWB manufacturers, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies, and OEMs. Resistance to the creation of a lead-free electronics assembly roadmap is minimal according to Bergman. For those who think the answers are already apparent and it is just a matter of the industry picking a winning alternative, he cautions that the issue is more complex. "My feeling is that the choice will be better for the entire industry if more debate takes place and more companies take a role in making the decision. We invite the industry to join us in Minneapolis to take the first steps in developing this roadmap." For more information on the IPC lead-free electronics assembly roadmap, contact Dave Bergman at (847) 790-5340, or e-mail [log in to unmask] For information on attending IPCWorks '99 and the International Summit on Lead-free Electronics Assemblies, contact IPC registration at (847) 790-5361, or visit www.ipc.org. IPC is a US-based trade association dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its nearly 2,600 member companies which represent all facets of the electronic interconnection industry, including design, printed wiring board manufacturing and electronics assembly. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of a $26 billion US industry employing more than 250,000 people. ################################################################ ComplianceNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE ComplianceNet <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF ComplianceNet ################################################################ Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################ ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet ################################################################ Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################