"We can draw on many years of experience cleaning paint shops."

Michael Rayburn is right at the heart of one of today’s most exciting growth markets: cleanroom cleaning for battery cell production. In this interview, the Director of Engineering and Development explains what sets Leadec apart in the U.S. and why experience in cleaning paint shops is a major advantage. 

How does cleanroom cleaning for battery production differ from industries like semiconductors or pharmaceuticals? 
The biggest differences are in the materials used and the resulting safety requirements. 
While semiconductor production mainly involves silicon—and the key is to keep dust off the wafers—battery production deals heavily with chemical substances that generate hazardous particles. That’s why our teams must wear personal protective equipment and respirators when cleaning machinery, floors, or walls inside production areas. Only later in the process is standard cleanroom attire like coveralls and gloves sufficient. 
 

Does contamination affect the quality of the battery cells themselves? 
Not so much the cells directly once the cells are enclosed, but definitely the production equipment. And everything runs at high speed. Even tiny particles or too much humidity can cause major disruptions. That’s why regular filter changes are an essential part of our cleaning program. 
 

Why does Leadec have such strong expertise in this area? 
Cleanrooms for battery cell production might be new for us, but we can draw on many years of experience cleaning paint shops. The dust load during the mixing of cell materials is very similar to that in a paint shop. Thanks to that experience, we know exactly what matters: clean air from the very first moment. 
 

What’s happening in terms of digitalization and automation in cleanroom cleaning? 
Monitoring—particle counting, humidity, and filter tracking—is highly digitalized and usually handled by the OEMs themselves. But the actual cleaning is still done manually. The results are immediately visible because the OEMs continuously track our cleaning performance through real-time measurements. That creates true transparency—and, of course, a great sense of pride among our teams! 
 

How has the business developed in the U.S.? And what about skilled workers? 
We started in 2020 with our first client in Ohio. Today we provide cleaning services at six sites with about 60 - 80 employees per location. Since there are hardly any skilled workers in this new field, we train our teams together with our clients. Our knowledge keeps growing, and new customers quickly realize that Leadec is a highly experienced partner. I see huge potential for us here, especially with more plants already in the pipeline. Plus, we can flexibly adapt our services—from classic cleaning to full technical cleanroom management.