BÖBLINGEN, Germany, - Hewlett-Packard GmbH today announced it will help 34 of the world's leading car manufacturers eliminate harmful substances from the automotive supply chain by hosting the International Material Data System (IMDS) for the next five years.

The IMDS is a shared service that enables the world's leading automotive manufacturers and more than 100,000 companies in the vehicle supply chain to meet regulations on hazardous substances. By supplying more than 40 million data sheets that list the details of every substance involved in the manufacture of all components, the IMDS helps prevent the use of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium, and ensures that reportable substances are declared for recycling.

Under the contract renewal, HP Enterprise Services will continue to develop, maintain and host the IMDS global data repository.

"Previously, OEMs all had their own lists of prohibited and reportable substances, which made it difficult to identify them in the supply chain," said Matthew Griffin, representative, Jaguar Land Rover, and speaker, IMDS Steering Committee. "The IMDS provides a standardized format for exchanging material information throughout the manufacturing process, making it easier for the automotive industry to comply with legal requirements in a cost-efficient manner."

Originally developed in response to the European Union's End-Of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, which aims at waste reduction, the IMDS has been adopted as the global standard for reporting material content across the automotive industry. Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) throughout the world have now joined original sponsors BMW, Daimler, Ford, Opel, Porsche, Volvo and VW as additional regions implement more rigorous legislation.

The IMDS provides a venue for information exchange between car manufacturers, their suppliers and their suppliers' suppliers about the materials used in all the components of a vehicle. Material information on parts is delivered from the OEMs to dismantler companies in order to achieve the goals of the ELV Directive. As a result, the IMDS will help car manufacturers meet their commitment to recycle 95 percent of the mass of each vehicle sold by 2015.

"The automotive industry needs to meet constantly changing legislation and increase the amount of recycling from old cars," said Oliver Bahns, worldwide director, Automotive and Aerospace, HP. "HP has worked closely with the industry for the past 12 years to ensure that the IMDS provides clear information concerning the materials used in all components of a vehicle through every stage of the supply chain." 

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the competitive pressures faced by HP's businesses; the development and transition of new products and services and the enhancement of existing products and services to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the protection of HP's intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the hiring and retention of key employees; assumptions related to pension and other post-retirement costs and retirement programs; the execution, timing and results of restructuring plans, including estimates and assumptions related to the cost and the anticipated benefits of implementing those plans; the resolution of pending investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described in HP's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012.  HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2013 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

distributed by