SEMATECH News
Edwards Vacuum Joins ISMI’s ESH Technology Center
Partnership to advance green semiconductor operations and processes for sustainable semiconductor manufacturing
AUSTIN, TX (17 June 2010) – International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI), the global consortium of the world’s major semiconductor manufacturers, today announced that Edwards Limited, a leading global supplier of vacuum and abatement equipment and services, has joined ISMI’s Environment, Safety and Health (ESH) Technology Center.
Within the ESH Technology Center, Edwards will collaborate with hundreds of ESH experts and consultants from around the world to develop data-driven solutions in areas such as energy and resource conservation, chemical management, and industry response to climate change.
“We’re pleased to welcome one of the leading manufacturers of vacuum equipment to ISMI’s ESH Technology Center,” said Ron Remke, ISMI’s ESH program manager and head of the center. “We are working through all levels of the supply chain to address the industry’s need for sustainability, productivity, and cost-effectiveness. We look forward to working closely with Edwards in an effort to keep our industry’s manufacturing businesses productive, profitable, and sustainable, while significantly reducing the environmental footprint of manufacturing operations.”
Scott Balaguer, America's Edwards general manager, stated, “We are very excited to become a member of ISMI and to participate in the ESH program. We have always made it a priority to minimize the environmental impact of our products, which has become even more important with the recent increase in environmental regulations worldwide. For instance, our pumps incorporate the ability to operate in several process-specific green modes, reducing power consumption between 20 and 99 percent. The data we will derive from this partnership will help us develop new environmentally-friendly capabilities for our products.”
The SEMATECH and ISMI ESH program has been pursuing energy and resource conservation for over 15 years and has published several dozen reports and presentations which collectively document best practices for energy and resource conservation. For example, ISMI was successful in providing proven process data (etch rate, uniformity, particles) to enable member companies to implement vacuum pump idle mode savings in their own facilities with confidence.
In 2009, ISMI launched its ESH Technology Center to further address the energy and resource conservation needs of the semiconductor industry. The ESH Technology Center is the industry’s first global collaborative research effort dedicated to finding and implementing green technologies that reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and promote greater productivity in manufacturing. Participating companies share ideas and resources, while directing, evaluating, and refreshing the program portfolio.
More information on the ESH Technology Center and its initiatives is available at http://ismi.sematech.org/esh.
About Edwards
Edwards is a leading global supplier of integrated solutions for the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells and a leader in vacuum technology for industrial, scientific, process and R&D applications. The company employs approximately 3,000 people worldwide in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment. Edwards invented the concept of the low-maintenance, cost-effective, commercial oil-free ‘dry’ vacuum pump and offers a wide range of other pumping technologies, and related products, supported by an international sales and service organization. For more information, please visit www.edwardsvacuum.com.
About the ISMI ESH Technology Center
ISMI’s Environment, Safety & Health Technology Center is the industry’s first worldwide R&D center dedicated to cooperatively finding and implementing the most cost-effective environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and procedures. The center is an extension to ISMI’s ESH program which is based on 11 years of SEMATECH and ISMI ESH efforts.