Murata factory expansion, Vantaa
Murata Electronics Oy's plant has been expanded by building an extension to the existing factory in Martinlaakso in Vantaa. The project was technically challenging, partly because of the requirement for an exceptionally large cleanroom facility. Because of the adjacent sensor factory, vibration was not permitted at the construction site. The project comprised a floor area of just under 9,000 m2 and it was completed in late 2019.
NCC started the construction project in spring 2018. Before that, a new parking lot had been created next to the factory because the factory extension was to be built on the site of the old parking lot. The actual building extension involved the construction of five floors containing production and logistics facilities, office areas and various technical areas required by the building and production processes. The turnkey project was worth around EUR 42 million.
Vibration and vast cleanroom facility presented technical challenges
The microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors manufactured at Murata in Vantaa are used especially in automotive security systems, mobile machinery and health technology such as heart pacemakers. From the point of view of production of these products, it was therefore vitally important that the construction site did not create vibration.
In order to prevent vibration during the rock blasting stage, the rock between the existing factory and the new factory was cut with a wire saw to a depth of three metres.
"Traditional blasting works were also carried out, but to a very limited extent. We had only one 30-minute period a day available for blasting works, during which some of the plant's production processes were halted," says Project Manager Kimmo Kärkkäinen.
The most challenging part of the project was the enormous cleanroom facility for the sensor factory. The average size of a hospital operating theater is 60 m2 and the cleanroom facility at the Murata factory has a floor area of 2,000 m2. Furthermore, the requirements for the Murata cleanroom facility were stricter than for an operating theater.
"The project was technically challenging for us. At the same time, it was very interesting and rewarding because we were able to develop our own expertise and our understanding of the client's business," says Frej Weurlander, Head of the Special Projects division.
The electronics manufacturer Murata's new plant extension was officially opened in Vantaa on January 29th, 2020.