SAP and TechniData announced the availability of SAP REACH Compliance, a comprehensive software application for addressing complex tasks required by the European Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) legislation. The first REACH compliance deadline is pre- registration, which runs from June 1, 2008 to November 30, 2008. The remaining three REACH deadlines will occur in 2010, 2013 and 2018, respectively.

During the first several years under REACH, the average chemical company is estimated to handle 15,000 compliance projects, each involving substance registration, usage and management, supply chain, financial and legal processes. REACH places the burden of proving the safety of chemical substances, products and consumer use on the manufacturer and importer. Chemical, consumer product, mill, oil and gas, pharmaceutical and other process manufactures will be denied the right to trade non-compliant substances within the European Union (EU).

Clariant, a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals, aggressively implemented of SAP REACH Compliance months before the first legislative deadline.

"From day one, Clariant will enjoy a competitive advantage under compliance, with the unique ability to manage all aspects of mandated data via a single software application," said Dr. Uwe Wolfmeier, Head of Corporate Product Safety, Clariant. "The level of enterprise-wide execution demanded by REACH is simply too complex to trust to disparate point applications, let alone ones that don't integrate with a company's existing core business processes."

Despite the potential for significant business disruptions and revenue losses related to non-compliance, a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey indicates that many chemical companies are expected to miss the 2008 REACH deadline. Companies are underestimating the level of enterprise-wide coordination, and remain uncertain about the type of technology commitment required to achieve compliance.

"Companies have recognized the importance and the necessity of IT support for REACH" said Jurgen Schwab, CEO, TechniData. "Reach will be an ongoing task, not only an activity for 2008. Companies that set up the right REACH IT infrastructure today will avoid an ongoing struggle with insufficient tools in the future."

SAP REACH Compliance integrates with companies' existing enterprise resource planning, supply chain management and SAP(R) Environment, Health & Safety applications. The solution from SAP and TechniData also supports third- party software for authoring chemical-safety assessments, chemical-safety reports and standard EU REACH exchange formats, such as the IUCLID 5 solution.

Key functionalities of SAP REACH Compliance include:

• Substance and Usage Management
• Supply Chain Collaboration
• Legal Process Management for REACH

"Providing a single integrated solution for all REACH regulatory needs significantly reduces companies' compliance costs and implementation times," said Franz Hero, vice president, Chemicals, SAP AG. "With global competition and economic pressures increasing exponentially, companies cannot afford to slow down for regulatory business disruptions. SAP REACH Compliance enables companies to forge ahead at full throttle, without having to make pit stops to change regulatory tires."