LONDON -- International tin industry organization ITRI has launched a subgroup aimed at achieving a credible, responsible and more coordinated supply chain for tin. 

The Responsible Tin Supply group will bring together stakeholders from all tiers of the supply chain including tin traders and users from the solders, tinplate and tin chemicals industries and downstream companies. A former Cookson purchasing expert has been named to chair the new effort.

The new initiative is intended to enhance information exchange and understanding between upstream and downstream tin sectors and allow early identification of emerging issues of key importance to stable and responsible tin supply. Working together, the stakeholders will be able to clarify priorities and strategies for managing and resolving supply chain risks, including perceived risks of tin use to downstream company reputation. Objectives include streamlined reporting and auditing for tin producers, their suppliers and traders, and development of means for consumers to incent tin suppliers to adopt best practices.

ITRI has already pioneered the successful iTSCi due diligence programme in central Africa, helping the tin industry avoid conflict financing and human rights abuses, and has also developed an industry code of conduct specifically designed for global tin production. The new RTS group will leverage and expand that work to tackle new challenges for tin supply, including from Indonesia and Myanmar, as well as expectations for extended supplier risk management included in the new EU regulation on import of tin, alloys and chemicals.

Group chair David Crimp spent most of his career purchasing and supplying tin for the Cookson (subsequently MacDermid Performance Solutions), including Alpha Metals division, the world’s largest supplier of solder.

“An industry coordinated approach will be most effective in providing solutions,” Crimp said, “having been directly involved with electronics and automotive sector issues relating to the responsible and sustainable sourcing of tin for many years, I am delighted to have this opportunity to lead the Responsible Tin Supply group in making a very significant step forward for the whole industry.”