Aug 12 (Reuters) - Ecolab ( ECL ) said on Tuesday it

would buy Ovivo's electronics unit for about $1.8 billion in

cash to expand its ultra-pure water technology for semiconductor

manufacturing, as demand for advanced microchips and AI grows.

Water consumption in data centers has increased

significantly due to the higher cooling requirements of

power-intensive graphics processing units for AI and

high-performance computing compared to conventional servers.

A single semiconductor fab can consume as much water

annually as 17 million people, Ecolab ( ECL ) said.

"Combined, we expect our $800 million global high-tech

business to grow strong double-digits, with an attractive

operating income margin," said CEO of Ecolab Christophe Beck.

Ovivo Electronics is expected to generate $500 million

in sales in 2025.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of

2026.