PRODUCING ULTRAPURE WATER
Since March 2001, Veolia has been supplying South Korea’s top producer of semiconductors, SK Hynix, with a full range of process water as well as effluent management services at three sites in Incheon, Cheongju and Gumi respectively. The original 17 years contract was terminated in 2019 and was renewed for 9 years until 2027.
The manufacture of chips and semiconductors requires ultrapure water that must meet especially stringent quality standards. The water is used to clean the wafers, which are extremely vulnerable to contamination from impurities. Veolia operates and maintains 20 facilities that ensure a constant supply of high-quality, ultrapure water to each of the three sites.
REDUCED OPERATING COSTS
By conducting regular audits and analyses at all of the facilities it manages and by implementing the most innovative solutions and technologies to emerge over the past decade, Veolia has been able to guarantee a secure supply of ultrapure water to the three SK Hynix production sites while improving their effluent treatment capabilities. Some 40% of the wastewater produced is reused on-site, substantially reducing SK Hynix's operating costs. This effluent treatment and recycling system, which exceeds the standards set by the South Korean government, also plays a major role in preserving the environment.
Key Figures
An 26-year partnership
Operational security and continuity
40% of effluent reused on site
Customer benefits
- A steady supply of ultrapure water
- Improved effluent management
- Risk reduction
- Environmental protection
- Zero accident, continuous operation
Solutions
- Process water treatment and effluent recycling