NEWS RELEASE                                   DECEMBER 2011

Cleanroom Consumables Market to Exceed $6.6 Billion in 2012

Standard gloves, gowns and wipes shed particles and contain compounds which can emit organic gases. These contaminants can cause substantial damage to semiconductor chips and many other products. As a result, a whole industry has been built around supply of consumables for ultrapure environments.  Total sales of these special consumables will exceed $6.6 billion in 2012. This forecast is part of the continuously updated World Cleanroom Markets published by the McIlvaine Company.

(Millions)

Industry                                 2012

Aerospace                                   79

Bioclean                                      56

Cleanroom Suppliers              215

Memory Storage                    1,231

Flat Panels                                 532

Food                                          165

Hospital                                     295

Medical Devices                       198

Other Electronics                      438

Other Industries                        316

Pharmaceutical                          726

Semiconductors                      2,421

Total                                           6,672

These forecasts include the laundering of reusable clothing.  Single use clothing sales exceed sales of reusables but, when laundering revenues are added, it is clear that the bulk of the investment is in reusable clothing.

The largest market in 2012 will be in the semiconductor industry where sales will exceed $2.4 billion. This includes the photovoltaic manufacturing plants which have manufacturing processes similar in nature to semiconductors. Memory storage is also a big market.

The largest markets, with the exception of pharmaceuticals, are all concentrated in Asia. Flat panel displays, memory storage, semiconductors and other electronics manufacturing in Asia represent a 2012 market of $3.1 billion.

Food, pharmaceuticals, bioclean and hospital cleanroom consumable sales will be higher in the Americas and Europe/Africa than in Asia. There is a big potential but untapped market in hospitals. Studies have shown that hospital infections could be substantially reduced with the use of cleanroom technology.

Cleanroom hardware sales including filters, walls, instruments, ceilings and mini environments will exceed $4.1 billion in 2012. The combined hardware/consumables market will approach $11 billion.

For more information on World Cleanroom Markets, click on: http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/cleanroom.html