To comply with international environmental regulations, safeguard customer health and safety, and meet client requirements, Gemtek Technology has established the “Management Procedure for Environmental Directives, Regulations, and Customer Requirements” and the “Control Procedure for Restricted Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) Products.” The company manages materials that are prohibited from use or subject to phase-out in accordance with regulatory timelines and adopts appropriate measures to ensure compliance. It has also defined environmental control procedures and clarified departmental roles and responsibilities to ensure that all products comply with applicable laws and meet customer-specific standards across global markets. These measures enable both suppliers and employees to clearly understand relevant requirements, thereby supporting environmental protection and reducing ecological impact.
Material Usage
The company’s materials used in product assembly primarily include plastic housings, aluminum casings, antennas, cables, labels, and packaging materials. Among these, renewable materials such as certain labels and packaging components (e.g., cartons and pallets), account for 34.41% of the total material weight. Non-renewable materials, including plastic and aluminum casings, comprise the remaining 65.59%. A portion of the structural plastic parts procured by the company is made from post-consumer recycled plastics. To ensure product quality, materials are disassembled and sorted by type to facilitate proper recycling. Recovered solder bars and solder paste are not reused in production. Instead, they are repurposed for secondary applications, such as in glass manufacturing.
Gemtek Technology's Material Usage in 2024
At the product design stage, Gemtek incorporates the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics as part of its sustainability strategy. When selecting PCR materials, the company thoroughly evaluates whether their physical properties are comparable to those of previously used materials and whether their use could affect the strength or reliability of the final product. These considerations are an integral part of the design process. In 2024, PCR plastic components accounted for 24.29% of Gemtek’s total plastic procurement value.
During the early stages of packaging design, Gemtek Technology works to increase the use of recycled paper and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paperboard products. In 2024, materials with FSC certification or recyclable content accounted for 37.32% of the company’s total packaging procurement value, with the proportion continuing to grow each year.
Hazardous Substance Free (HSF)
During the product design phase, Gemtek utilizes the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system and the Environmental Hazardous Substances (EHS) system to ensure that all components and packaging materials comply with customer requirements and international environmental regulations. These regulations include, but are not limited to, RoHS, REACH, the Packaging Directive, the Battery Directive, and Halogen-Free (HF) standards. The company obtained IECQ QC 080000 certification in March 2007 and has successfully passed annual audits every year since. In addition, all auxiliary materials used during manufacturing must meet customer requirements and comply with the aforementioned standards.
In 2024, all Gemtek products were fully compliant with applicable HSF regulations and customer specifications. Notably, the company received no complaints or negative feedback from customers regarding hazardous substances during the reporting period.
In addition, to effectively manage hazardous substances, Gemtek plans to integrate IEC 62474-related management procedure into its internal Environmental Hazardous Substances (EHS) system in 2025. A systematic review process has also been established to ensure that all procured materials comply with applicable regulations. By continuously monitoring product compliance and routinely tracking regulatory updates, the company ensures the timely adoption and adherence to relevant requirements.
Green Design
To advance its commitment to green and energy-efficient design, Gemtek eliminated all traditional linear coil transformers from its products and adopted high-efficiency switching transformers in 2009. These switch-mode power supplies achieve an average power conversion efficiency exceeding 80%, significantly outperforming conventional coil-based models. Gemtek is also planning to incorporate post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials into its products. In addition, the company has established a dedicated components management team, with designated engineers responsible for the approval and testing of newly introduced transformer materials. All transformer specifications must comply with international energy efficiency standards, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Level VI and the European Code of Conduct (CoC) Version 5 Tier II and ErP Level VI requirements.
Gemtek has completed the first phase of testing and validation for its energy-efficient product design initiative. By incorporating microcontrollers and current sensors to adjust and monitor power usage based on user scenarios, the company achieved an approximate 53.26% reduction in energy consumption, supporting its commitment to green energy-saving concepts. In the second phase, Gemtek plans to introduce intelligent software features that enable active energy monitoring on the client side and is also evaluating the integration of modular design into products to better meet energy efficiency standards. Reducing overall product power consumption is one of Gemtek’s core approaches to green design. Throughout the entire product lifecycle, the company places strong emphasis on environmental compliance to minimize potential environmental impact. Gemtek’s efforts are focused on the following three areas:
In response to the sustainable development trend, Gemtek Technology has set goals for green product design, including the adoption of low-carbon sustainable materials, optimized packaging design, and the use of CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) tools to enhance innovation efficiency. These initiatives support research and development projects by advancing the design and production of environmentally friendly, low-carbon products that enhance market competitiveness while minimizing environmental impact.
To promote the regeneration and reuse of plastic waste, Gemtek Technology prioritizes the adoption of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics with high recycled content and is committed to steadily increasing their share in overall plastic procurement. To ensure that the integration of PCR plastics into the injection molding process does not lead to molding or appearance issues, Gemtek Technology has utilized computer-aided mold flow analysis software to optimize process parameters and enhance surface quality. In terms of mechanical design, snap-fit assembly is widely implemented in place of conventional fastening methods, significantly reducing the number of screws and enhancing the product’s recyclability and ease of disassembly.
In selecting paper-based packaging materials, Gemtek has not only increased its use of recycled pulp and adopted FSC-certified corrugated materials for outer cartons, but also strengthened its efforts to reduce plastic usage. For inner packaging, the company has introduced bio-based fiber bags as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic (PE) bags. Paper-based materials have also replaced PE strings for bundling cables. These initiatives reflect Gemtek’s broader commitment to integrating eco-friendly, green packaging concepts throughout the product development process.
To meet customer requirements and investor expectations, Gemtek began conducting ISO 14067 product carbon footprint verifications in 2023. As of the end of 2024, two product verifications have been completed and verified by a third-party assurance provider. By evaluating carbon emissions at each stage of the product lifecycle, the company is better able to examine the environmental impact of its operations. Gemtek will continue to refine its carbon reduction strategies and remains committed to promoting sustainable development and a greener supply chain.
