"Incredible agility!"
Delivery of phase 1, covering 1,500 m², of SOITEC's Bernin 4 project (projet B4): a cleanroom with a total surface area of 2,500 m², due for completion in summer 2024.
Benoît CHAMPEY, Facilities Engineer at SOITEC, technical coordinator of the B4 project.
Photo : Samuel MORAUD
A few words about SOITEC...
Benoît CHAMPEY: We are the world's leading manufacturer of substrates for microelectronics. We are at the beginning of the value chain for the manufacture of electronic components. We transform the raw material (silicon and other substrates) to improve its energy yield and efficiency. Our customers are the world's leading manufacturers of microelectronic components, and our production facilities are located in Bernin (4 plants), Singapore and Belgium.
What are the features and purpose of the B4 project?
BC: The cleanroom project covers a total surface area of around 2,500 m². The first phase, delivered in April 2023 by Vêpres, represents 1,500 m². Particulate classes can go up to ISO class 3. This cleanroom was primarily created for silicon carbide (SIC) manufacturing, which increases the efficiency of power transfer in electric cars and thus reduces energy consumption.
What were the main constraints and difficulties encountered on this project?
BC: The deadlines! The foundation stone for the building was laid at the end of March 2022, and Vêpres delivered cleanroom in time for production to start at the end of 2023. That's an extremely tight deadline! Which also brought other constraints: the shell had barely been completed when they started work, and they had to constantly adapt to the schedule, the environment and deal with other trades. They showed incredible agility!
Why would you recommend VÊPRES ?
BC: First and foremost for their professionalism, their in-depth knowledge of the cleanroom trade and their ability to deliver quality projects. We put the project out to tender before awarding it to them, but we knew that by entrusting it to VÊPRES, we'd be able to meet our deadlines, and above all, we wouldn't have to come back to them... even if the teams had to show a great deal of self-sacrifice to do so!
What happens next?
BC: Naturally, we're continuing our collaboration with VÊPRES for the second phase of the project! Work on the additional 1,000 m² will start in mid-September: we continue to have every confidence in them!
Any final words on this adventure?
BC: I'd like to say a big thank you to the management and site teams at VÊPRES, as well as to the FAURE QEI project management team and the SOITEC teams (notably Anaïs Bouvier, Virginie Laganne, Sébastien Simon and Dominique Lamarca) for their commitment to this major project. Without everyone's professionalism, this challenge would never have been met!
See the timelapse created for the project
Short lead times
Following VÊPRES 's extensive work on the B4 project, Benoît CHAMPEY praises our management of deadlines, communication between our teams, our professionalism, the quality of our work and our commitment right up to delivery...