However, if Vietnamese enterprises invest systematically and prioritize innovation, they can successfully penetrate the international market.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering (VISRAE) and Vice Principal of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, highlights the growing global cleanroom market.

This market is continuously expanding to meet the needs of the electronic components manufacturing industry, including chip manufacturing, nanotechnology, precision equipment, aerospace, defense, pharmaceuticals, medical fields, biotechnology, and food technology.

International reports estimate that the global cleanroom market will reach approximately $3.2-5 billion by 2024, maintaining a 5% annual growth rate, unaffected by economic crises.

Ong Dung 3.jpg
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Viet Dung. Photo: Bình Minh

In Vietnam, increased investment from foreign-invested enterprises and large domestic groups in manufacturing, assembling electronic components, and pharmaceutical production is driving the demand for cleanrooms.

The government's focus on the semiconductor industry and chip production further amplifies this demand.

Previously, foreign companies dominated Vietnam's cleanroom equipment market. This complex field integrates high technologies such as precision air conditioning, nano-level dust filtration and sterilization, precision mechanics, automation, and microelectronics. Vietnamese enterprises primarily acted as installation contractors and providers of design and consulting solutions.

Recently, domestic enterprises have started offering complete cleanroom solutions and equipment. Intech Group, for instance, has pioneered R&D in cleanrooms, achieving the highest global standards according to US NEBB standards in 2022. This achievement was recognized by the Ministry of Science & Technology as one of the top 10 science and technology events of the year.

The rapid growth of the electronics, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical industries, coupled with traditional demand, drives the Vietnamese cleanroom market. Domestic production and assembly offer competitive advantages in pricing, maintenance, repair, and upgrades compared to imported equipment.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Viet Dung notes that the Vietnamese cleanroom market will see increased participation from diverse international suppliers and consultants, emphasizing the importance of high-tech manufacturing plants.

However, the activities of Vietnamese enterprises in this sector remain limited and fragmented. Without cooperation and unity to strengthen their position, Vietnamese companies risk losing ground to foreign competitors with extensive experience and resources.

Comparing Vietnam's R&D investment in cleanrooms to global standards, Mr. Dung acknowledges that Vietnam lags behind. Nevertheless, with a potential domestic market, successful local enterprises could expand internationally, akin to the manufacturing of heat exchange equipment or industrial boilers.

“Cleanroom technology is high-tech. Proper investment, focusing on human capacity and meeting high technical standards, can enable Vietnamese enterprises to penetrate international markets, starting with South Asia and Southeast Asia,” says the Vice President of VISRAE.

Cleanroom technology's downside includes high electricity consumption and significant greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the doubling of energy use in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector by 2030. To address this, Mr. Dung suggests adopting environmentally friendly refrigerants, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the use of renewable energy combined with heat and cold storage.

Vietnamese enterprises have the opportunity to invest directly in new technology without considering depreciation factors of existing technology. However, Mr. Dung emphasizes that investing in cleanrooms requires a methodical, long-term approach, focusing on human factors and coordinated efforts between universities, research institutes, and enterprises.

Mr. Dung advises cleanroom enterprises to collaborate, exchange ideas, and avoid price competition that could lead to poor-quality equipment.

The cleanroom technology market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%, reaching over $7.9 billion by 2029, according to a report by Exactitude Consultancy. Increasing regulations related to packaging, manufacturing, and high-quality product delivery will drive this growth, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

With strategic investment and collaboration, Vietnamese enterprises can enhance their competitiveness in the global cleanroom market, ensuring sustainable and prosperous growth.

A cleanroom is a controlled environment used primarily in manufacturing and scientific research that has a low level of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles, and chemical vapors. Cleanrooms are essential in industries where even the smallest particles can interfere with the manufacturing process or contaminate products.

Cleanrooms are commonly used in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and any field where environmental control is crucial to the quality and performance of products.

Binh Minh