The International SEMATECH
Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) today announced that Applied Materials, Inc.
(Nasdaq:AMAT) has become the newest member of the award-winning Environment,
Safety and Health (ESH) Technology Center. Applied will join leading semiconductor
manufacturers in cooperative projects for sustainable manufacturing, industry
environmental standards and green practices in chip-making.
“We’re pleased to welcome one of the leading equipment manufacturers
to the world’s first world-wide R&D center dedicated to cost-effective,
environmentally friendly semiconductor manufacturing,” said Ron Remke,
ISMI’s ESH program manager and head of the Center. “We appreciate
Applied Materials’ many contributions to the industry, and share its commitment
to do what is good for business and the environment.”
“Applied Materials is excited about expanding our collaboration with
ISMI and its member companies to enhance the industry’s sustainability
initiatives,” said Bruce Klafter, senior director for EHS and Sustainability
at Applied Materials. “Using technological innovation, action and commitment,
we can work together to find solutions to improving the environmental performance
of our products and processes.”
The EHS Technology Center was formed in 2009 to provide a broad-based, collaborative
platform for developing better environmental practices for the industry, with
goals of increasing efficiency and reducing costs in semiconductor operations.
Open to all chipmakers and equipment and materials manufacturers, the Center’s
membership currently represents more than half of the world’s semiconductor
production.
Within the Center, hundreds of ESH experts and consultants from around the
world will work closely with Applied Materials to develop data-driven solutions
in areas such as energy and resource conservation, chemical management, and
industry response to climate change.
“The Center is a prime example of ISMI’s collaborative model in
which leading chipmakers and equipment and materials manufacturers can participate
in a broad consortium-industry-university partnership to develop environmentally
sustainable semiconductor manufacturing processes,” said Scott Kramer,
vice president of manufacturing technology at SEMATECH.
Kramer added, “We’re bringing together world-class researchers
and engineers from Applied Materials, ISMI, and the ESH Technology Center to
find green solutions that improve productivity and lower costs while significantly
reducing the environmental footprint of manufacturing operations.”
The Center is the industry’s first global collaborative research effort
dedicated to finding and implementing the most cost-effective, environmentally
friendly manufacturing processes and procedures. Participating companies share
ideas and resources, while directing, evaluating, and refreshing the program
portfolio. Specific focus areas include:
- Energy and resource conservation
- Climate change and environmental impact
- Supply chain ESH alignment
- Chemical management and evolving regulatory initiatives
- ESH impacts of semiconductor materials, equipment, and processes
Last year, the Center received the 2009 CleanTech Award for green and clean
technology, and the 2009 Lunar New Year Award from the Texas Asian Chamber of
Commerce for pioneering eco-friendly industry standards.
More information on the Center and its initiatives is available at http://ismi.sematech.org/esh.