euro adhoc: Solar-Fabrik AG
Mergers - Acquisitions - Takeovers
Solar-Fabrik
AG doubles its production
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
27.07.2005
Solar-Fabrik AG purchases wafer trader, thus adding a strategically important segment to its portfolio.
Freiburg/Kuala Lumpur, 7/27/2005. Solar-Fabrik AG has purchased wafer trader Global Expertise Wafer Division Ltd. (GEWD). By purchasing the Malaysian company, Solar-Fabrik AG has insured a supply of solar wafers exceeding 30 megawatt (MW) for 2006, allowing the company to double its production. The purchase of GEWD adds a strategically important segment of the value chain to the German company's portfolio. Based in Kuala Lumpur, GEWD has many years of experience and best contacts in the trading of wafers on Asian and transatlantic markets.
Wafers are the raw material for the production of solar cells, which are required for the production of modules in Freiburg, Ger-many. The global boom on the photovoltaics market has made wafer resources a scarce commodity, creating bottlenecks in the supply of solar cells as well. As a result, in the past few months Solar-Fabrik was not always able to run at full production capacity even though its order books are full. As Georg Salvamoser, CEO of Solar-Fabrik, put it, "The takeover of GEWD as a 100% subsidiary company will allow us to double our production in a strategic market for the future to ensure further corporate growth."
The wafers of the new subsidiary will now be sold to cell manufacturers who will use them to produce high-quality solar cells exclusively for Solar-Fabrik. The potential additional production thus exceeds 30 MW annually. Christoph Paradeis, CFO at Solar-Fabrik AG, explains that "this year we will process roughly an additional five MW of solar cells and increase capacity utilization. By the end of the year, we want to add another 50 jobs in Freiburg. By that time, production will be running at full capacity. Economies of scale will also increase in production."
Strengthening the company's strategic position
The purchase of GEWD has expanded the strategic position of Solar-Fabrik AG. After all, the wafer trader based in Kuala Lumpur has many years of experience in trading with the US and Asia, including excellent contacts to ensure the supply of wafers to meet the growing needs of Solar-Fabrik AG.
GEWD sells high-quality solar wafers manufactured from "reject wafers" from the semiconductor industry. Recycling wafers in this manner not only makes environmental sense, but also taps additional resources in a booming global wafer market. GEWD has the technical expertise for this type of production.
GEWD is considered the market leader in the recycling of semiconductor silicon and has a secure supply in Asia and the US into 2008. "This is very promising for the future, and we will take advantage of it immediately for our growth without having to make any serious structural changes," states Christopher Paradeis, CFO at Solar-Fabrik AG.
Global Expertise Wafer Division Ltd. (GEWD)
Global Expertise Wafer Division Ltd. (GEWD) has been on the wafer market since 1996. Based in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), the company has grown very quickly in the past few years and expects growth to average 30% per annum in the future.
end of announcement euro adhoc 27.07.2005 08:57:29
Further inquiry note:
Martin Schlenk
Tel. +49(0)761 4000 207
E-Mail: m.schlenk@solar-fabrik.de
Branche: Alternative energy
ISIN: DE0006614712
WKN: 661471
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse
Berliner Wertpapierbörse
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse
Bayerische Börse
Bremer Wertpapierbörse (BWB)