ST. LOUIS, Mo., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With the pre-registration period for the European REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals) having ended on December 1, 2008, SAFC Supply Solutions(R), a business segment of SAFC(R), a member of the Sigma-Aldrich Group , conducted extensive research into which products would be required in multi-ton quantities post-deadline, and assessed its capacity to supply the products deemed critical to its customers’ supply chains, resulting in over 1,000 pre-registrations. In the event of new customer requirements, SAFC intends to conduct the same supply chain assessment on an ongoing basis, pre-registering additional substances in due course.
SAFC Supply Solutions Market Segment Manager, Carole Garcia observes: “SAFC believes its targeted approach to pre-registration is the best way to avoid sourcing and supply problems and minimize any potential supply chain interruptions and subsequent losses in revenue. It may be difficult to ascertain which products are genuinely available, so the status of ‘orphan’ substances - those that have not been pre-registered by any supplier but have a user with requirements of more than one metric ton per year - is clouded. That’s why SAFC is urging companies to take stock of the situation now that the pre-registration period is over, to assess any weaknesses they may have in their supply chain.”
The next major milestone in the REACH process is in June 2009 when European Chemicals Agency publishes a priority list of the substances submitted for future authorization. From the 15 substances included on the candidate list, seven have been recommended by the ECHA as priorities for the first batch for inclusion in Annex XIV. It is possible that more Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) will be published in the next amendment of Annex XIV after June 2009. SAFC is currently working with its customers to find alternatives for substances likely to be added to this list, or to apply for authorization with ECHA.
Garcia concludes: “No one knows which one of these seven products may be added in the Annex. Many companies are waiting until June to see which products are included. Companies are advised to begin looking at alternative substances now, as the implications for a supply chain breakdown are significant at every stage of the discovery and production process.”
About SAFC: SAFC(R) is the custom manufacturing and services group within Sigma-Aldrich that focuses on high-purity inorganics for high technology applications, cell culture products and services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, biochemical production and the manufacturing of complex, multi-step organic synthesis of APIs and key intermediates. SAFC has manufacturing facilities around the world dedicated to providing manufacturing services for companies requiring a reliable partner to produce their custom manufactured materials. SAFC has four focus areas - SAFC Pharma(TM), SAFC Supply Solutions(R), SAFC Biosciences(TM), and SAFC Hitech(TM) - and had annual sales of nearly $600 million in 2007 SAFC is one of the world’s top 10 fine chemical businesses. For more information, visit www.safcglobal.com.
About SAFC Supply Solutions: SAFC Supply Solutions offers a complete line of customized products and services to alleviate issues associated with compliance, timely delivery, product reliability, packaging customization, and quality assurance for regulated industries, including pharmaceutical development, diagnostics manufacturing and flavors and fragrances. Our customized sourcing services, with access to more than 100,000 starting materials, combined with expertise in analytical testing, manufacturing, packaging, quality control, and compliance services can speed the development process and lower costs for customers, enabling faster time to market. For more information visit www.safcsupplysolutions.com.
About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich(R) is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Its biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and genomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 37 countries and has 8,000 employees providing excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich is committed to Accelerating Customer Success through innovation and Leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award-winning Web site at http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.
Cautionary Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements relating to future performance, goals, strategic actions and initiatives and similar intentions and beliefs and other statements regarding the Company’s expectations, goals, beliefs, intentions and the like, which involve assumptions regarding the Company’s operations and conditions in the markets the Company serves. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
SAFC(R), SAFC Supply Solutions(R) and Sigma-Aldrich(R) are registered trademarks and SAFC Pharma(TM), SAFC Biosciences(TM) and SAFC Hitech(TM) are trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich Biotechnology L.P. and Sigma-Aldrich Co.
CONTACT: Ed Roullard, Vice President of SAFC, +1-314-236-8717; or Mark
Button of Impress Public Relations, +1-408-310-2168, mark@impress-pr.com,
for Sigma-Aldrich
Web site: http://www.sigma-aldrich.com/
