CERTIFICATES

To continually strive for the highest quality standards, we focus our activities on developing new products and improving our existing range.

It is important to identify future markets, consolidate niche areas and keep one step ahead of the rapidly developing printing industry.

The basis for this is our forward-looking quality system.

In May 1997, the quality system for our entire company obtained certification under DIN EN ISO 9001.

Environmental Certification

Through economical consumption of raw materials and sparing use of resources, we aim to help achieve a sustainable environment.

We strive hard to avoid waste and reduce noise, wastewater and waste gas emissions, while also ensuring the best possible industrial and plant safety.

Our production plants are connected to a modern, high-performance waste gas filtering system. Long before the general trend, we changed our inks over to heavy-metal-free pigments. We made rapid progress with the development of solvent-free UV printing inks.

Where it has not been possible to dispense entirely with solvents, we have reduced their content to an absolute minimum or switched over to more ecofriendly solvents.

These efforts are underlined by the fact that, following completion of an ecoaudit, our environmental management system obtained certification under DIN EN ISO 14001 in May 2000.

Responsible Care

As a member company of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), we have committed ourselves to the worldwide Responsible Care initiative and undertake to strive continually to improve protection of human health and the environment as well as the safety of employees and the public at large.

Under this commitment, we choose our partners very carefully on the basis of safety, health and environmental criteria.

We sensitize our employees for more safety and environmental protection issues through training courses and precisely defined requirements within the context of our environmental management system.

We work in cooperation with the VCI to extend knowledge about the possible adverse effects of products and processes on individuals and the environment.

To implement the principles of the Responsible Care initiative, we encourage an open exchange of knowledge and experience with employees, neighbours and customers.

Hessen Environmental Alliance

We are especially proud of our membership of the Hessen Environmental Alliance.

It was conferred on us by the Hessen state government for special services to environmental protection. We were granted this membership in August 2000 when our environmental management system was set up.

It spurs on our continual research to develop products and processes that are even safer for individuals and the environment.

SONY Green Partner

A.M. Ramp & Co GmbH, known as RUCO Druckfarben, has been awarded the SONY Green Partner Certificate.

Following earlier environmental certifications in compliance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 and 14001:1996 as well as the EMAS-certified environmental system, this is another important step towards RUCO's corporate philosophy of reconciling high-quality products with environmentally compatible production processes and materials.

The SONY Corporation introduced the Green Partner Environmental Quality Approval Program as part of its environmental activities aimed at maintaining and improving the environmental safety and quality of all components and materials that are distributed worldwide in SONY products.

This means that each Green Partner (and only those will be accepted as SONY suppliers) has to meet the SONY-imposed standards and demands for the products delivered to SONY. These go far beyond legal regulations concerning the limitation and prohibition of environmentally hazardous materials.

In addition to providing analytical data for products delivered to SONY and the presentation of verifiable management systems regarding quality and the environment, the SONY certification procedure also provides for an intensive in-house audit at future Green Partners.

The audit at the RUCO plant in Eppstein/Taunus showed that the company fully complied with the SONY standards so that the signing of the SONY Green Partner Agreement went ahead without delay.