X-FAB is expanding its site in Erfurt with a new semiconductor factory for microsystems. The planning and construction of this project, known as Fab4Micro, has been entrusted to the construction company PORR. The company will contribute its expertise as a full-service provider for the implementation of such complex facilities.
The new Microsystems Fab in Erfurt will produce microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and heterogeneously integrated systems at wafer level. These products are intended for applications in sectors such as the automotive industry, medical technology, and the industrial sector. The mechanical structures on the chips are becoming increasingly smaller and more complex, which leads to increasing demands on the manufacturing environment, particularly with regard to flexibility, energy efficiency, and future automation capabilities.
PORR's commission includes the construction of a cleanroom production area of approximately 3,500 square metres, as well as a directly connected office wing. The integration of the new factory into the existing site is also part of the project. Karl-Heinz Strauss, CEO of PORR, highlights that the semiconductor market, driven by artificial intelligence and future technologies such as autonomous driving, is growing incessantly. This development leads to an increased demand for cleanrooms.
According to Mr Strauss, the realisation of cleanrooms places special demands on planning and construction. An essential condition is vibration freedom. The massive construction must ensure that externally caused vibrations, for example from road traffic, do not impair the sensitive production machines. Furthermore, high operational reliability is required, as operations must be maintained around the clock, all year round. The timely coordination of trades is often challenging, and occupational safety standards are particularly high.
The demands on the manufacturing environment are continuously increasing. This applies both to the ever smaller and more complex structures etched onto the chips and to expectations regarding energy efficiency. Standardised measures here include the use of heat recovery to reuse waste heat, as well as the installation of photovoltaic systems.
The EU Commission has mobilised over EUR 52 billion in public and private investments under its Chips Act to strengthen the European semiconductor industry. According to SEMI World Fab Forecast, global spending on factory equipment is expected to increase by nine percent to US$166 billion by 2027. These forecasts underscore the dynamism in this sector.
PORR has decades of experience in the realisation of cleanrooms for the semiconductor and biotech industries. The company has already constructed several hundred thousand square metres of cleanroom space and has established itself as a full-service provider. Its services include complete project management from planning and construction to turnkey handover, including the so-called “hook-up” of machines and commissioning. Reference clients include Infineon Technologies, ams OSRAM, and Bayer, among others.
