Sustainability in refurbished semiconductor equipment
Keeping a used process tool in service is usually the lowest-impact way to add capacity. Here is how we approach reuse, upgrades and waste in our refurbishment work.
Why reuse matters for process equipment
A semiconductor process tool contains a large amount of stainless steel, aluminium, copper, electronics, vacuum pumps and precision parts. Most of that hardware does not wear out when a fab retires a tool; the tool is retired because the fab moved to larger wafers or smaller nodes. For a university cleanroom, pilot line or small fab, a refurbished tool from that generation can run the same process for many more years.
Refurbishing a used tool replaces the worn parts and keeps the rest in service. That is the core of our business, and it is also the main environmental benefit we can honestly point to: fewer tools scrapped, fewer new tools built for processes that older tools still handle well.
We have not measured lifecycle emissions for the tools we sell, so we make no claims about tonnes of CO₂ or percentages saved.
Upgrades that reduce energy use and hazardous waste
Some of the upgrades we offer have a direct environmental effect alongside their process benefits.
Mercury lamp to UV-LED
Mask aligners traditionally use mercury arc lamps, which need warm-up time, run hot, are replaced regularly and must be disposed of as hazardous waste. A UV-LED conversion replaces the lamp house with an LED source that switches on when needed and contains no mercury. Whether it suits your process depends on the wavelengths and intensity your resists need; we check that before quoting.
Oil-sealed to dry pumps
Oil-sealed rotary vane pumps need regular oil changes, and the used oil from process tools is often contaminated with process by-products. A dry pump conversion removes the oil from the pumping line, removes the oil-change waste stream and reduces the risk of backstreaming oil into the chamber. Dry pumps have their own maintenance and power demands, so we size the pump to the process load rather than fitting the largest available.
Control system retrofits
On many older tools the control electronics fail before the mechanics do: obsolete computers, unreadable storage media and boards that can no longer be repaired. A control system retrofit replaces those parts with current hardware while the chamber, pumps and handling stay in service. That removes the most common reason a working tool is scrapped and keeps it supportable for years longer.
Parts reuse and spare parts
When a tool is too far gone to refurbish, we do not scrap it as a whole. Pumps, valves, generators, gauges and mechanical assemblies that test good are reconditioned and kept as spare parts for tools of the same platform. Reconditioned parts help keep other older tools running, which is often what decides whether a lab can keep a process going or has to buy a new tool.
Handling residues and hazardous waste
Tools from semiconductor fabs can carry residues from dopant gases, chlorinated chemistries, metals and solvents. We ask sellers for a process history and decontamination declaration, decontaminate where needed and dispose of residues and contaminated parts through licensed hazardous waste channels. The details are on our quality and compliance page.
Transport and packaging
Crating and transport are a real part of the footprint of a used tool. Where it is safe to do so, we reuse crates and packaging materials, consolidate shipments to the same region, and choose road transport within Europe where the schedule allows. Shock and tilt protection always comes first: a damaged tool that has to be shipped back is worse for everyone.
What you can do as a buyer or seller
- If you have an idle tool, selling it while it still works keeps it in use. Tools that sit unpowered for years lose value and are harder to bring back. Our sell equipment form is the quickest way to start.
- If you are buying, consider whether a refurbished tool with a UV-LED or dry pump upgrade covers your process before specifying a new one.
- If you run older tools, a preventive maintenance plan extends their life and cuts the number of emergency parts shipments.
We are glad to discuss any of these with you, and to tell you plainly when a new tool would be the better choice.
Questions and answers
Do you take back packaging and crates?
Ask when you order. Whether a crate can be collected and reused depends on its condition, where it is and whether a later shipment can use it, so we agree it case by case rather than offering a general take-back scheme.
What happens to parts you remove during refurbishment?
Parts that test good can be reconditioned and offered as spare parts. Contaminated parts are decontaminated or disposed of as hazardous waste, and other materials are separated for recycling where local facilities allow.
Can you take back a tool we no longer need?
Yes. Send photos and the service history through our sell equipment form and we will make a purchase offer or propose a consignment sale.
Looking for a specific tool?
Tell us the process, wafer size and facilities. We shortlist tools that fit and send an inspection report with every offer.