Choosing between cleanroom companies in Brazil is a decision that directly affects product quality, regulatory compliance, and factory operating costs. A poorly designed or poorly executed cleanroom leads to rejected batches, audits with findings, and expensive rework.
My name is João Felipe, Commercial Director of Asmontec Cleanrooms, and I am a civil engineer graduated from PUC Campinas. I have worked in the cleanroom market for over 20 years and have closely followed projects in the pharmaceutical, hospital, cosmetics, food, and electronics industries. In this guide, I explain how the Brazilian market works, introduce companies in the sector, and show the criteria I use to evaluate whether a supplier is reliable.
Table of contents
What is a cleanroom and why does the industry invest in it?
A cleanroom is an environment constructed from the combination of several factors such as a ventilation system, pass-throughs, panels, and stainless steel furniture to control the amount of airborne particles, as well as temperature, humidity, and pressure. The classification follows the ABNT NBR ISO 14644 standard, which defines cleanliness classes according to the number of particles per cubic meter of air.
In practice, a cleanroom guarantees a contamination-free environment, protecting both the operator and the products being handled from hazardous substances. Therefore, sectors such as pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicine, hospitals, cosmetics, food, electronics, and biotechnology depend on it. For the pharmaceutical industry, the Good Manufacturing Practices requirements of ANVISA (Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency), such as RDC 658/2022, make a controlled environment an obligation, not a differentiating factor.
If you're just starting to research this topic, it's worth understanding first what a cleanroom is and how it works before comparing suppliers.
How the cleanroom market works in Brazil
The national market brings together companies with different profiles. Knowing these profiles helps you avoid hiring the wrong company for your needs.
Full-service design and construction companies: They deliver the cleanroom from start to finish: design, panels, ceilings, floors, doors, air conditioning system and installations.
Component and equipment manufacturers: They produce specific items, such as laminar flow hoods, pass-throughs, air showers, and cabins.
HVAC companies: They take care of the HVAC system, but they don't always have expertise in constructing a classified area.
Qualification and validation companies: They test and certify the environment after it is ready.
Most of the problems I see in the industry arise when the work is divided among several suppliers without strong technical coordination. Each company delivers its part, but no one is responsible for the final performance of the room. Therefore, hiring someone who integrates design, execution, and validation usually reduces risk and time.
Services that a cleanroom company should offer
When comparing suppliers, the industry should look at the entire service chain, not just the price of the work.
Project: Defines the classification, the flow of people and materials, the pressures between environments, and the climate control strategy. A good project avoids cross-contamination and reduces energy consumption.
Execution: The assembly requires trained labor, proper sealing, cleanliness control during construction, and a finish without gaps where particles can accumulate.
Qualification and validation: Particle count, filter integrity, airflow, and differential pressure tests verify that the room delivers what the project promised. To better understand this step, see our content on cleanroom qualification.
Maintenance: Filters become saturated, seals age, and sensors lose calibration. A maintenance contract preserves the rating over the years.
Equipment for controlled environments
In addition to constructing the room, many processes require equipment that creates an extra layer of protection at the critical point of operation. Asmontec provides these:
Biological safety cabinet: Protects the operator, the product, and the environment during the handling of biological materials. It is common in laboratories, research, and the production of biopharmaceuticals.
Weighing and sampling booths: They offer controlled airflow for weighing and sampling raw materials, reducing dust dispersion and cross-contamination. Widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
Laminar flow cabinet: Creates a curtain of filtered air over the work area, keeping the process protected from particles. It is suitable for sensitive manipulations.
Cage scraping booth in animal facilities: Controls dust, hair, and allergens released during the removal of wood shavings, protecting the animal facility staff.
Animal transfer cabinet for animal facilities: Allows for the exchange and handling of animals while protecting against contamination of the animal and exposure of the operator. For those who work with animal facilities, it is a central item in the routine. See more in our content about biological safety cabinets.
Purchasing the room and equipment from the same supplier facilitates compatibility between airflow, layout, and cleaning routine. It also simplifies qualification, as a single technical manager oversees the entire system.
Why trust Asmontec?
I'm speaking as someone who works at the company, so I want to make it clear that each point below can be verified in a technical conversation or a site visit.
Market experience: I have over 20 years of experience in cleanrooms, with a degree in Civil Engineering from PUC Campinas, a specialization in Business Management, and certifications in Cleanrooms and Controlled Environments. The company is run by someone who understands both the project and the client's business.
Cleanroom and equipment from the same supplier: We design the cleanroom and supply cabinets and laminar flow systems, which reduces incompatibilities and provides clarity on who is responsible for the final result.
Industry perspective: A project needs to respect the production flow. We design with the operator, materials, cleaning, and maintenance in mind, not just the classification on paper.
Compliance with standards: Our projects take into account ABNT NBR ISO 14644 and the regulatory requirements of the client's segment, such as the Good Manufacturing Practices of Anvisa (Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency).
Transparency: We present the scope, assumptions, and limitations of the project clearly, resulting in a more predictable budget and fewer surprises during construction.
How to choose between cleanroom companies
Use this guide when comparing proposals:
- Request cases similar to yours: Experience in your sector reduces regulatory risk.
- Check the technical team: Ask who is responsible for the project and who is overseeing the construction.
- Check the validation scope: A cheap offer without qualification tests often ends up being expensive later.
- Evaluate the post-construction support: Ask about maintenance, parts, and response time.
- Compare the total cost: Consider energy costs, filter replacement, and maintenance. To get an idea of the investment, read about... How much does a clean room cost?.
If the factory is still in the planning phase, define the required cleanliness class and regulatory requirements for the product beforehand. This avoids oversizing the room and paying for a classification that the process doesn't require.
Next step for your project
The Brazilian market has companies capable of delivering good results, each with its own operational profile. The best approach is to compare suppliers based on proven experience, a clear scope, and post-delivery support.
If you want to understand how a cleanroom or cabin can be designed for your industry, talk to our technical team.
Speak to an Asmontec specialist and get your questions about cleanrooms answered.
FAQ
It depends on the cleanliness class, the area, and the complexity of the air system. Smaller projects can be completed in weeks, while large pharmaceutical areas take months, including validation.
Yes, when there is a regulatory or quality requirement. The qualification proves through measurements that the room meets the designed classification, and is mandatory in segments such as pharmaceuticals.
A biological safety cabinet protects the operator, product, and environment when handling biological agents. A laminar flow cabinet primarily protects the product or process from particles and is not suitable for materials that pose a risk to the operator.
In many cases, yes. Retrofitting requires evaluating the structure, ceiling height, space for ducts, and the flow of people and materials before determining its feasibility.
Request case studies from your industry, check the responsible technical team, verify if the proposal includes validation and if there is support after delivery. Visiting a completed project is one of the best ways to evaluate.
