Entegris picks up Atcor, Critical Clean Solutions

09/01/2001

Chris Anderson

CHASKA, MN--Entegris, a provider of silicon wafer and disk-drive handling products, has acquired San Jose, CA-based Atcor Corp. (San Jose, CA) and Critical Clean Solutions Inc. (CCS; Gilroy, CA). This is the latest in a wave of transactions that have swept the contamination control industry.

Michael Wright, president of Entegris microelectronics group, says the acquisitions give the company the capability of providing sub-micron cleaning services as well as both on-site and off-site materials integrity management for wafer fabs and disk drive manufacturers. In addition, Entegris will manage the packaging and delivery components, such as wafers and disk drive components, to ensure they arrive for assembly free of contaminants.

"More companies are looking to outsource any activities that are not their core competency," Wright says. "Our planned acquisitions of Atcor and Critical Clean Solutions will allow us provide a full range of services to provide for protection, storage and transport of critical components."

These acquisitions are the latest among companies providing services to the microelectronics industry. Illinois Tool Works Inc. (Glenview, IL) recently acquired contamination control companies The Texwipe Co. (Upper Saddle River, NJ) and Alma Inc. (Palm Springs, CA) as the company turns a yearning eye on the cleanroom market.

Likewise, Entegris could prove to be a force of consolidation in the materials cleaning, packaging, handling and transport niche. "While these companies help us fill out our product and service offerings, we will continue to look for other ways to strengthen our presence," says Wright, indicating that other acquisitions may soon be on the horizon.

For both CCS and Atcor, whose combined annual revenues are just over $20 million, becoming a part of Entegris enables them to help Entegris create a comprehensive materials integrity program. Critical Clean Solutions provides sub-micron-level cleaning services as well reuse and recycling of an array of materials integrity management products.

With Atcor, Entegris gets a supplier of automated systems for cleaning of containers and components used in the semiconductor, data storage and other contamination-sensitive industries. Atcor also provides contract services for high-volume precision parts cleaning.

"I'm excited we can join forces with Entegris," says Juan Bardina, Atcor's president, who will remain with Entegris as a vice president of global services for the microelectronics group. "The organizations together provide a new business model to lead the industry toward more efficient means of managing critical materials integrity."