CMP Slurry Market to Double in 5 Years

Electronic News, April 19, 1999

The market for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) slurry will more than double in 2003, compared with 1998 levels, according to a new report by The Information Network, a market research firm in New Tripoli, Pa. The company didn't give dollar or volume figures. The data are in a report titled "CMP Technology: Competition, Products, Markets." "The CMP market is outpacing the rest of the semiconductor equipment market," notes Robert N.

Castellano, president of The Information Network. "The slurry market will outpace the growth of the CMP equipment market because of the increasingly large installed base of tools." The CMP slurry market will be adversely affected by the use of a slurryless process from 3M. While Cabot leads in the marketplace, Rodel not only competes directly with Cabot, but now also markets the 3M technology. Rohm & Haas has a minority equity position in Rodel. CMP waste treatment companies will also feel the impact of the 3M technology, but will benefit from the large growth of the slurry market. "We are bullish on the following companies offering CMP slurry waste treatments: Asahi; Kinetico/EPOC Water; Kurita; Microbar/EnChem; Millipore; Pall; Toshiba Ceramics; and United States Filter, based on their technology and, importantly, management," added Castellano.