BNL (UK) Limited, the UK based plastic bearing specialist, has received awards for Quality and Environmental Standards from international business machine manufacturer, Ricoh Co. Ltd.
At the 2008 Supplier Conference, BNL was certified a ‘Class A’ supplier for the sixth time in a row and was also recognised for its compliance with the rigorous requirements of Ricoh’s Green Procurement Policy, having fully complied with Ricoh’s Chemical Management Systems standards for 3 years running. BNL were one of only five of Ricoh’s suppliers to attain both of these standards in 2008.
‘Class A’ supplier status is only given to suppliers who achieve 100% on time delivery with zero defects, with excellent speed of information, cooperation and availability - a benchmark which BNL has met every year since 2002.
Ricoh’s Chemical Management System, as the third and final stage of their Green Procurement Policy, is designed to ensure the substances which are banned by the Ricoh Group and environmental legislation, are not contained in any parts or processes for the company’s products. Ricoh’s goal is to only procure parts and materials which generate low environmental impact.
To adhere to these principles, BNL thoroughly examines the route of all goods supplied to Ricoh, tracing it back to the raw material manufacturer. If at any stage in the supply chain cross contamination with banned substances is a possibility, then alternatives are found.
Environmental awareness has always been paramount in the BNL culture ethos and the company already has strict procedures in place for its ISO 14001 certification. BNL began working with Ricoh on its Green Procurement Policy in 2002 and was the first of Ricoh’s suppliers to comply with the standards.
The certificates were presented to BNL’s Managing Director, John Nichols by Ricoh Co. Limited’s Director of Procurement Control for Imaging System Production, Mr. Kenichi Kanemaru and the Managing Director of Ricoh UK Products Ltd, Mr. Shunsuke Nakanishi.
John Nichols, Managing Director of BNL (UK) Limited, commented, “Having worked in close partnership with Ricoh for many years, it is easy to see why they are a world leader. They set themselves and their suppliers high standards, so to receive this recognition is a testament to the hard work and commitment to customer service shown by the BNL team”.
BNL supply fully integrated, custom designed bearing assemblies for the company’s range of photocopier machines. The lightweight, low friction and cost effective plastic bearing parts are used to enable precise, linear movement of the scanner heads and accurate movement of paper through the machine.
Commenting on the certification awarded to BNL Des Rowe and Elaine Herwin of Ricoh UK Products Limited stated, “In these difficult times of economic downturn it’s great to be able to work with and rely on suppliers with the high standards that BNL continually achieve.”
About BNL (UK) Ltd
BNL (UK) Ltd specialises in the design and manufacture of innovative thermoplastic bearing assemblies and technical moulding solutions. Plastic bearings offer many advantages over the traditional steel bearing, including anti-static properties, low friction and corrosion and chemical resistance. They are lightweight with low inertia and have no requirement for lubrication. BNL’s dedicated in-house design team is able to promote added value through the integration of other features - such as axles, gears, fixing clips, mounting flanges and pulleys - to form fully integrated bearing assemblies that maximise functionality and deliver whole system cost reductions. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, BNL maintains subsidiaries in Foxboro, Massachusetts (BNL [USA] Inc.), Tokyo, Japan (BNL [Japan] Inc.) and Rayong, Thailand (BNL [Thailand] Ltd).
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