European Recycling Platform Appoints CCR and Geodis to Manage Operations for Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Prod

12/01/04 - PRNewswire

European Recycling Platform Appoints CCR and Geodis to Manage Operations for Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Products PRNewswire PARIS December 1

PARIS, December 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Firms will act as general contractors for all ERP requirements

The European Recycling Platform (ERP), the first pan-European take back and compliance scheme for waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), founded by Braun, Electrolux, HP and Sony, has today announced the appointment of CCR and Geodis as general contractors. The firms will manage all operational activities on behalf of the ERP's founders and members, including take-back, logistics, recycling and all necessary administrative work to ensure full compliance with the WEEE Directive. CCR remit will initially cover Austria, Germany, Italy and Poland while Geodis will take care of France, Spain, Portugal, UK and Ireland.

Hans Korfmacher, President of the ERP explains, "Early in the development of the ERP, we decided to outsource the management of WEEE compliance to specialists with experience in handling waste management and complex logistics across Europe. Our aim is to ensure best service to our customers and maximum efficiencies in meeting our WEEE obligations. Our new partners CCR and Geodis meet our criteria of competence and efficient waste management."

Both general contractors will sub-contract the treatment of WEEE and transportation to third parties. The procurement process will start immediately and will be completed in time to meet the timelines set by national WEEE legislation.

Background to the ERP and the WEEE Directive

The European Recycling Platform was set up in December 2002 by Braun, Electrolux, HP and Sony in response to the introduction of the European Union's Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The ERP's mission is to ensure cost effective implementation of the directive, for the benefit of the participating companies and their customers, through innovative waste management strategies and to encourage national implementation of the directive according to a set of core principles, fundamental to the protection of consumers and business, as well as the environment. More information is available at www.erp-recycling.org.

The WEEE Directive is a new legal framework within which producers are obliged to contribute or to organise the disposal, recycling or recovery of the goods they market after 13 August 2005. Producers are also obliged to handle the recycling of a proportion, based on their market share year by year, of the waste from products sold before 13 August 2005.

About CCR

CCR provides high-level logistics services in the area of waste management and take back systems for warranty parts on a European level. In the automotive, electro and electronic, construction and industry & commerce sectors, well-known companies such as Volkswagen, BMW Group, Toyota Deutschland GmbH, Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, Red Bull Deutschland GmbH and European Recycling Platform S.A. all rely on CCR services.

About Geodis

With a workforce of 22,500 and a network covering 120 countries, the Geodis Group is a global operator of the logistics chain, ranked among the Top 5 of Europe's major transport & logistics companies. The Group's scope of business ranges from supply chain management to distribution and express parcels through the provision of logistics, reverse logistics, full truck loads and international freight forwarding services.

About Braun

Germany-based Braun GmbH, a subsidiary of The Gillette Company, manufactures a wide variety of products that marry innovation, quality and aesthetic design, ranging from electrical shavers to personal diagnostic appliances and from oral care products and beauty products to household appliances. Braun products enjoy worldwide distribution and many of them enjoy worldwide market leadership. More information is available at www.braun.com.

About Electrolux

Electrolux is the world's largest producer of powered appliances for kitchen, cleaning and outdoor use, such as refrigerators, washing machines, cookers, vacuum cleaners, chain saws, lawn mowers, and garden tractors. In 2003, Group sales were SEK 124 billion and the Group had 77,000 employees. Every year, customers in more than 150 countries buy more than 55 million Electrolux Group products for both consumer and professional use. The Electrolux Group includes famous appliance brands such as AEG, Electrolux, Zanussi, Frigidaire, Eureka, and Husqvarna. More information is available at www.electrolux.com.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. For the fiscal year ending on Oct. 31, 2003, HP revenue totaled $73.1 billion. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.

About Sony

Sony manufactures audio, video, communications and information technology products for the global consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, game and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to become a leading personal broadband entertainment company in the 21st century. In Europe, Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 13.47 billion (yen 1,765 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, based on an average market exchange rate for the same period of yen 131 to the EUR. Sony Europe, headquartered at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, is responsible for the company's European electronics business and registered consolidated sales of EUR 8.71 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004. For more information on Sony Europe, please visit www.sony-europe.com and www.sony-europe.com/presscenter.