PHOENIX, Arizona, October 3, 2025 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm ranked #3 nationally in semiconductor design by Engineering News-Record, announced today two of its semiconductor facility subject matter experts will speak at SEMICON West. The firm will also be represented by several members of its highly skilled, multidisciplinary project team, showcasing SSOE’s capabilities across the complete facility lifecycle—from site development and front-of-house design to fab and subfab engineering, spooling, and tool installation. The event will take place from October 7-9, 2025, at downtown’s Phoenix Convention Center.
SSOE’s Clem Wood, Senior Vice President of Emerging Markets, and Joey Kragt, PMP, Senior Project Manager as well as one of the firm’s go-to authorities on off-site manufacturing (OSM), will join Adam Tarr, Industrial Innovation Specialist at Hoffman Construction Company, for “FDI and OSM: Building Fabs in the U.S.” The session, taking place on October 7 from 2:20–3:20 p.m. MT in the West Building, 100 Level, Room 106 BC, will offer insights into key considerations and cost-saving strategies in the design and construction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
Speaker Profiles
SSOE’s Wood is a recognized leader in the semiconductor industry with over 35 years of program and project management experience. A mainstay in the field since the late 1980s, Wood has played a pivotal role in the planning and execution of countless fab expansions, including layout evaluations and utility planning. He has been instrumental in the design of more than 5,000 First-of-a-Kind tools and has overseen engineering quality across ramp and retrofit projects involving 150mm, 200mm, and 300mm technologies.
Wood is currently located in Arizona as he oversees the final stages of SSOE’s newest hub for smart solutions in the Phoenix area. With more than 500 successful projects delivered across the state and a legacy presence in Chandler, SSOE continues to expand its footprint in support of the region’s growing semiconductor ecosystem. According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, the state leads the nation in new semiconductor investment and expansion, with $205 billion in capital investment and more than 60 semiconductor-related projects launched since 2020.
SSOE’s Kragt has been with the firm for 13 years, bringing extensive experience in semiconductor facility design and tool installation, having served as both project manager and process engineer on multiple projects in the Silicon Forest. His expertise spans BIM and 3D modeling, ultra-pure water systems, bulk chemical distribution, and tool install support. Kragt has led complex facility upgrades and expansions, earning recognition for his ownership, coordination, and service excellence throughout design and construction phases.
Hoffman Construction’s Tarr brings over three decades of global experience in lean, collaborative construction practices for complex facilities. With a deep focus on off-site engineered utility
solutions, Tarr has led pre-construction planning and execution across a wide range of specialty industry applications, including advanced technology and semiconductor programs. His expertise in early planning, stakeholder alignment, and integrated project delivery has consistently driven successful outcomes.
Fab Design, All Phases
A market leader in key hubs across the U.S. and ranked a Top 3 Semiconductor Design Firm for the past nine years (ENR), SSOE’s semiconductor industry experience spans 40 years. From small facility upgrades to full fab retrofits requiring the installation of thousands of process tools, the firm assists high-tech clients in addressing today’s demanding, time-sensitive, and ever-changing facility challenges to ensure timely and cost-effective facility roll-out for the owner.
SSOE’s multidisciplinary team brings deep expertise in FDI and OSM strategies, helping global technology companies localize operations efficiently and establish a strong U.S. market presence.
About Hoffman Construction Company
Hoffman Construction Company is the largest full-serve general contractors in the Pacific Northwest and one of the largest in the country, with offices in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. With over a century of experience and a reputation for tackling complex, first-of-their-kind projects, Hoffman is a trusted partner in the semiconductor industry. The company specializes in lean, collaborative construction practices and off-site engineered utility solutions that drive efficiency and innovation in advanced manufacturing environments.
