REACH Legislation Could Catch Many Companies Unprepared

    LITTLE FALLS, N.J., Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Many small and medium-sized
 enterprises (SMEs) selling in the European Union could be caught off-guard
 by the recently implemented REACH regulations requiring registration and
 approval of chemicals used in manufacturing, according to Kline, a
 worldwide consulting and research firm.
 
     REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of
 Chemicals) is a wide-ranging set of EU legislation intended to manage and
 control the risks to human health and the environment from the use of
 chemicals.
 
     Many potentially affected companies may be unaware that the REACH
 legislation applies to them. For example, Kline's research shows that
 smaller companies in the recycled paper, secondary raw materials, and
 metalworking fluids industries are largely unaware of the REACH
 requirements.
 
     "REACH will impact all EU manufacturers and downstream users of
 chemicals as well as importers of chemicals into the EU," says Nancy Mills,
 FlashPoint project manager for Kline. The newly published Kline FlashPoint
 report, REACH: A Regulatory Behemoth, reviews the scope of this
 legislation, outlines its impact on businesses, and offers companies
 strategies to prepare for compliance.
 
     "It's important to act now to avoid future costs and the potential
 disruption of production and distribution," says Mills. "SMEs are going to
 be the most affected, since the cost of registering the chemicals used in a
 company's processes will be more deeply felt by them. Larger companies not
 only have more resources but higher volumes, which will enable them to
 lower the cost per ton of registering a chemical."
 
     Among the recommendations provided in the report, Kline suggests SMEs
 offering the same chemical should consider jointly pre-registering that
 chemical to reduce the cost per volume.
 
     For more information about REACH: A Regulatory Behemoth, go to
 www.klinegroup.com/reports/f0703.asp.
 
     About Kline
 
     Kline is a worldwide consulting and research firm dedicated to
 providing the kind of insight and knowledge that helps companies find a
 clear path to success. The firm has served the management consulting and
 market research needs of organizations in the chemicals, materials, energy,
 life sciences, and consumer products industries for nearly 50 years. For
 more information, visit www.KlineGroup.com.
 
 

     For more information, contact:
     Janice Kriegman
     Manager, Marketing Communications
     +1-973-435-3440
     Janice_Kriegman@klinegroup.com
 
 

SOURCE Kline