"Swedish companies realise that phasing out of lead is of growing environmental concern. At the same time they lack knowledge in resolving practical problems involving the substitutes."
This is why IVF has decided to set up a major co-operative project for Swedish electronics manufacturers. Mats Lindgren explains:
"Today, a lot of companies seem to carry out their own small-scale trials of different lead-free alternatives, but they dare not use alternatives more extensively. Hopefully this collaboration will make it easier for companies to try lead-free manufacturing and jointly reach decisions on the necessary production changes."
A total of nine Swedish companies, among them Saab Ericsson Space, Beve Electronics and Samhall Bothnia, will study the possibilities of introducing lead-free production processes. Sub-contractors will also be involved in the project, which is due to start later this spring and run until summer 2002.
Gittan Cedervall