Agile Software Corporation (Nasdaq: AGIL), a leading provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, has announced that Dolby Laboratories and Quantum Corp. have chosen Agile to enable cost-effective compliance with European Union (EU) environmental regulations: Waste of Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) and the Restrictions on Hazardous Substance (RoHS). Leveraging Agile PLM solutions, companies are able to meet RoHS substance restrictions, design products with a view of recycleability as required by WEEE, and design for the environment to minimize compliance costs and eliminate noncompliance on future products
According to AMR Research Report published last year titled Electronic Waste Processing: Manufacturers Running Out of Time*, "Although (compliance) support costs are high, the business risk of noncompliance is even higher. At the worst, noncompliance will result in exclusion from the EU market and loss of market share. At best, it will mean delayed shipments and possible penalties. Both consequences spell bad news for high-tech producers."
"Meeting environmental compliance regulations is not just an issue of corporate responsibility, it is a requirement for doing business," said Earl Wiggins vice president of quality at Quantum Corp., a global leader in storage solutions. "Agile understands the importance of gaining real time visibility into product information and enriching it through supplier collaboration to meet these compliance requirements." Quantum uses Agile for supplier material declarations to maintain a centralized product record that includes documentation and data sheets to minimize risks, compliance costs, and business interruptions.
Agile worked closely with its customers to develop Agile Product Governance & Compliance (PG&C), a solution to specifically address the growing number of environmental regulations and corporate environmental policies that impact product definition, import, export and disposal. Agile PG&C is helping companies to comply with regulations regarding the WEEE directive, ROHS regulations, End of Life Vehicle (ELV) reporting requirements-along with the many international and regional variations of these mandates, as well as internal environmental guidelines. The solution also supports the "design for environment" processes to minimize cost of compliance and future liability.
"We came to Agile because we knew of the company's strong high tech customer base and its extensive experience in helping companies address compliance," said Richard Bell, vice president of operations for Dolby, a leading developer of audio signal processing systems. "PG&C will allow Dolby to cost effectively track parts and components from our suppliers, allowing us to immediately identify those that are non-compliant and take the necessary actions to meet regulatory requirements."
"Addressing environmental compliance directives is becoming a necessary function in the product lifecycle management process," said Jay Fulcher, Agile president and COO. "We look forward to expanding our work with our customers to help them harness the product record as a key asset for proactively managing corporate compliance practices to ensure the business trust and profitability that go hand-in-hand in driving success.".
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