EANS-News: Capital Market Day of centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) -
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companies/Capital Market Day
centrotherm photovoltaics Capital Market Day Company provides insights into research and development activities
Blaubeuren, April 29, 2009 - centrotherm photovoltaics AG once again encountered strong interest at its second Capital Market Day. Around 30 institutional investors and analysts from both Germany and abroad accepted an invitation to an exchange of information with the Management Board of the technology and service provider for the manufacturing of solar silicon, crystalline solar cells and CIGS thin film solar modules. Topics discussed at the company's site at Blaubeuren included market trends in the solar sector, and centrotherm photovoltaics' research and development activities in the areas of solar silicon, solar cells and thin film.
The company employs around 100 research and development staff. Moreover, centrotherm photovoltaics is also engaged in close cooperation with some of the world's leading photovoltaics research institutes, as demonstrated by a film portraying current projects conducted with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Constance. "Only those companies that remain technologically innovative, and at the same time take cost-leadership for customers as a serious issue, will be able to operate successfully on the markets in the long term," explained Robert M. Hartung, CEO of centrotherm photovoltaics AG. "Therefore it is our strategy to invest in our own research and development department." In the course of a series of presentations and discussions the company's management explained how research and development is organized within the company, how much is invested in these activities, and also outlined the objectives for its individual business areas in terms of research and development. centrotherm photovoltaics invested a total of EUR 17 million in research and development in 2008.
Experts from various business areas presented the topics on which they are currently conducting research, and demonstrated the new products that have been developed. The participants were particularly interested in trends within the photovoltaic market, new thin film technologies, future production concepts for solar cells and trends in the silicon area. The company's guests responded extremely positively to the event held in Blaubeuren, and were particularly pleased with the opportunity to gain an insight into production, as well as to speak directly with the company's management.
"Intensive dialogue with financial analysts and our investors is extremely important to us," commented Oliver M. Albrecht, CFO of centrotherm photovoltaics. "Consequently, we arranged this capital market day program to include plenty of scope for discussion, and we are very pleased that our visitors accepted our invitation to dialogue."
About centrotherm photovoltaics AG centrotherm photovoltaics AG, which is based at Blaubeuren, is one of the world's leading technology and service providers for the manufacturing of solar cells and solar silicon. The broad product spectrum comprises key equipment and turnkey production lines for crystalline and thin-film solar cells. The product range is supplemented by reactors and converters for the manufacturing of solar silicon. centrotherm photovoltaics guarantees its customers important performance parameters such as production capacity, degree of efficacy, and completion deadlines for turnkey lines. The Group employs over 1,000 staff members, and operates in Europe, Asia and the USA. In the 2008 financial year, centrotherm photovoltaics generated revenue of EUR 375 million and EBIT of EUR 56 million*, and is listed in the TecDAX on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange. (*before purchase price allocation)
end of announcement euro adhoc
Further inquiry note:
Company contact:
Saskia Schultz-Ebert
Senior Manager Investor Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8890
E-mail: saskia.schultz-ebert@centrotherm.de
Press contact:
Christina Siebels, Grit Pauli
HOSCHKE & CONSORTEN Public Relations GmbH
Tel: +49 40 3690 50-58 /-31
E-mail: c.siebels@hoschke.de; g.pauli@hoschke.de
Branche: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
WKN: A0JMMN
Börsen: Börse Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard