One product, three continents: Temporary weather protection and cleanroom separation for semiconductor fabs

Protecting clean room fit-out across three international fab sites

The construction of advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities, known as fabs, is one of the most complex and capital-intensive forms of construction. These ultra-clean factories are used to transform raw silicon wafers into computer chips, making strict environmental controls and contamination prevention critical to their operations – even while the factories are under construction. To meet a highly demanding construction schedule across the three sites, our client needed robust weather and dust protection to begin sensitive internal works while the permanent building envelope was still incomplete.

Creating a protected envelope before the building was sealed

At each site – Ireland, USA and Israel – the external steel building frame was in place, but the permanent cladding and roofing were not yet complete. Delaying internal fit-out until the exterior envelope was finished would have created pressure on the wider construction programme. Proceeding without adequate protection risked exposing the interior of the structure to weather and dust ingress, conditions incompatible with clean room environments, where contamination can compromise performance, longevity, and safety.

Working closely with the contractor and end client, Westgate Global specified Flexiscreen, a heavy-duty, engineered temporary weathering system with a proven track record in demanding industrial environments. The first project was delivered in Ireland, where Westgate created a full-size live prototype to demonstrate the Flexiscreen system’s capability.

Flexiscreen enables fit-out to start early

Externally, the system formed a temporary facade, creating a protective envelope which shielded internal areas from weather and dust before the permanent cladding and roofing were complete. Internally, Flexiscreen created separation walls between active construction zones and clean room installation areas, preventing contamination from migrating into sensitive fit-out spaces.

Critically, the full-size live prototype in Ireland enabled the end client to conduct its own due diligence. The team assessed Flexiscreen’s engineering performance, structural integrity, fire rating, aesthetics and suitability for site conditions. Westgate Global’s experience of working globally across different climates meant the team was confident that Flexiscreen would perform reliably in the wind-driven rain in Ireland; desert dust storms and haboobs in the USA; and heat, UV exposure, dust, wind and seasonal rain in Israel. As a result, the client was confident enough to specify Flexiscreen for rollout in the USA and Israel. A single proof of concept became a global, multi-site specification.

A heavy-duty Flexiscreen material was selected to suit the scale of the installations, with each site requiring approximately 5,000 m² of screening, for a total of around 15,000 m² across the three locations.

The site in Israel presented a very specific technical challenge. The steel beams that formed the structure carried a thick layer of intumescent fire-protection paint that could not be damaged without compromising the steelwork’s fire integrity. Westgate Global developed a bespoke bracing and fixing method that delivered the required structural performance while leaving the intumescent coating completely intact.

A consistent global standard, expertly delivered

The completed installations gave the client a clearly defined, protected environment for clean room fit-out across three continents, with weather and dust ingress controlled and clean room areas shielded from adjacent construction activity. Internal works were able to start earlier than the permanent envelope would otherwise have allowed.

With no room for risk, the client received the same product, the same engineering assurance, the same project management standard, and the same delivery team at every site. For a manufacturer in the middle of one of the most ambitious construction programmes in the industry, having a partner capable of delivering a consistent global standard, quickly and to a high standard, made all the difference.

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