Display Products Group: Press Release

11th April, 2005

Hitachi Display Products Group, a division of Hitachi Europe Ltd, has announced that as of 1st April 2005 , manufacturing of all of its LCD modules will be fully compliant with the European ROHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) directive. With the deadline of 1st July 2006 set for all products to comply, Hitachi has succeeded in changing its LCD module production lines to meet the new standard well ahead of schedule.

“As a company, we have fully supported the aims of the ROHS directive from the start and it has been an absolute priority for us to transition our production lines over to lead-free and reduce the amount of proscribed materials in our products so that they meet the new environmental standard,” comments Myrddin Jones, general manager, Hitachi Display Products Group. “Industry figures indicate that some 40% of component manufacturers are not yet able to reassure their customers that they will be ROHS compliant by the July 2006 deadline - which is a worrying statistic! For Hitachi to attain compliance so far ahead of schedule proves that it can be done and we are extremely pleased to have passed this milestone.”

ROHS is the European Union Directive on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic goods placed on the market after 1st July 2006 . The Directive covers the reduction of six substances found in electrical and electronic equipment, including lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and flame retardants polybrominated biphenyl and polybrominated diphenyl ether. The aim of the legislation is to reduce the amount of contaminants arising from end-of-life electronic equipment and reduce the cost of recycling.

For a complete list of Hitachi Display Products Group products, please visit www.hitachi-displays-eu.com or call +44(0)1628 585 000. Hitachi Display Product Group is part of Hitachi Europe Ltd.