Hong Kong is a leading exporter of watches in the world. According to the latest available statistics, Hong Kong was the world's second largest exporter of complete watches in terms of both value and quantity in 2004.

Most of the process operations in the Watches Industry are automated and strict Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures are followed.

In fact, the watches manufacturing is not expected to be an industry which is subject to significant problems of compliance except:

• Spent oils and lubricants may be generated from watches assembling.

• Toxic air emission may be generated from the soldering process may generate toxic air emission.
  

(Source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council & Trade and Industry Department)

Challenges for SMEs

Owing to the growing consciousness of environmental protection and health concerns, especially in the EU, the watches industry will suffer from environmental pressure if they could not find cost-effective ways to tackle their environmental problems.

Moreover, due to the growing concerns of quality conscious buyers, more and more companies have acquired the ISO 9000 certification to strengthen their quality management systems.

However, SME manufacturers face a number of barriers during the course of looking for self-improvement and becoming a green and responsible industrialist. The main barriers for SME in improving their environmental performance are:

• Ability in adopting the right cleaner production concepts in the production process
  
• Know-how in eco-product design
  
• Identifying a cost-effective pollution control technology
  
• Understanding the local and global legal requirements in environmental protection
  
• Proper ways in responding to global environmental supply chain pressures
  
• Strategic planning for long-term environmental improvement
  
• Constraints from capital and human resources
  

Want to know more about the Key Environmental Issues of Watches Industry? Go to the section of Key Environmental Issues.