EANS-News: WACKER Polysilicon Production Facilities at Nünchritz Officially Come
on Stream
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Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely
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Company Information
Subtitle: - New production facilities increase WACKERs capacity by a total of
15,000 metric tons per year
- Investments of around 900 million in the Nünchritz plant create over 500 new
jobs
- CEO Rudolf Staudigl: We are optimistic about the outlook for photovoltaics
Munich (euro adhoc) - April 27, 2012 - Wacker Chemie AG's hyperpure polysilicon
production facilities at its Nünchritz site officially went into operation
today. In the presence of Stanislaw Tillich, the prime minister of Saxony, and
numerous other high-ranking guests from politics, business, and public
administration, the Munich-based chemical company officially inaugurated its new
production complex. Overall, WACKER has invested some EUR900 million in the
facilities, thereby creating more than 500 new jobs.
Initial production began at the facilities in fall last year, and the start-up
phase is now virtually complete. The plant is expected to reach its full nominal
capacity of some 15,000 metric tons per year within the next few weeks. All in
all, WACKER is ramping up its total capacity for polysilicon to around 52,000
metric tons by the end of 2012, making it one of the largest producers
worldwide. With the new polysilicon site currently under construction in
Charleston (Tennessee, USA), WACKER's total annual production capacity will rise
to around 70,000 metric tons by 2014, strengthening its position as a leading
producer of high-quality semiconductor- and solar-grade silicon.
Rudolf Staudigl, president and CEO of Wacker Chemie AG, said in his speech:
"This expansion of capacity is a key prerequisite to enable us - now and in the
years to come - to meet our customers' demand for top-quality polysilicon for
use in highly efficient solar cells. WACKER's entire polysilicon output,
including that from Nünchritz, is almost completely under contract until the end
of 2015."
After massive overcapacity in the solar industry and consolidation within the
sector had a strong impact on WACKER's polysilicon business in Q4 2011, demand
turned up markedly again in the first few months of 2012. Sales in Q1 2012 were
almost 50 percent higher than in the same period last year. Currently, all of
the company's production facilities are running at full capacity. From today's
viewpoint, demand will remain robust in the months ahead.
In his speech, Staudigl also spoke about WACKER's expectations for the solar
market. "We are very optimistic about the outlook for photovoltaics because the
significant price decline for polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules strengthens
photovoltaics' competitiveness as an energy source," highligthed the CEO. This
means there will be new markets to access in future, he said, with the main
growth markets being China, India and the USA. "The polysilicon from Nünchritz
will assist us in meeting this growth in demand", Staudigl emphasized in his
remarks.
WACKER in Nünchritz
The Nünchritz plant was founded as a chemical site in 1900 and became part of
the WACKER Group in 1998. Meanwhile, approximately EUR1.5 billion has been
invested in the Nünchritz plant, making it one of the world's largest and most
modern production sites for silicones and hyperpure polysilicon. More than 1,400
people currently work at WACKER Nünchritz.
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and
estimates of WACKER's Executive Board. Although we assume the expectations in
these forwardlooking statements are realistic, we cannot guarantee they will
prove to be correct. The assumptions may harbor risks and uncertainties that may
cause the actual figures to differ considerably from the forward-looking
statements. Factors that may cause such discrepancies include, among other
things, changes in the economic and business environment, variations in exchange
and interest rates, the introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance
for new products or services, and changes in corporate strategy. WACKER does not
plan to update the forwardlooking statements, nor does it assume the obligation
to do so.
Further inquiry note:
Christof Bachmair
Media Relations & Information
Tel.: +49 (0)89 6279 1830
E-Mail: christof.bachmair@wacker.com
end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: Wacker Chemie AG
Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4
D-81737 München
phone: +49 (0) 89 6279 01
FAX: +49 (0) 89 6279 1770
mail: info@wacker.com
WWW: http://www.wacker.com
sector: Chemicals
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
indexes: MDAX, CDAX, Prime All Share
stockmarkets: free trade: Hannover, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart,
regulated dealing: Berlin, regulated dealing/prime standard:
Frankfurt
language: English