euro adhoc: Basler Vision Technologies AG
Strategic management decisions /
Basler Enters Solar Market
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
01.09.2006
Basler Enters Solar Market
Basler AG, one of the leading companies in the field of Vision Technology (the technology of machine-based vision), is expanding its business activities in the Vision Systems corporate division (inspection systems for industrial mass production) to add inspection solutions for the photovoltaic industry. The new products will be presented to the public for the first time at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition which will start next week in Dresden, Germany (4 - 8 September 2006).
With its products, Basler AG offers manufacturers of raw wafers and solar cells fully automatic solutions integrated into the production process for important quality control tasks which until now could not be automated. The main benefit of the products is the increase in efficiency and the reduction of raw material consumption in the production of raw wafers and solar cells.
Yesterday Basler has been awarded a first contract by a globally leading solar cell manufacturer. At the moment, test installations are successfully operating at several manufacturers. First substantial sales of solar inspection systems are expected in the financial year 2007.
The solar industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Sales of solar enterprises are expected to quadruple to more than E15,000 million by 2020 in Germany alone. The fast growing demand for silicon as a raw material has led to a shortage and a consequential price rise that makes more efficient usage of the raw material an essential factor for the success of solar manufacturers. This is where the Basler inspection systems come into play: Using leading in-house component technology in the field of cameras, computers and software, the Basler inspection systems can sort out defective raw wafers and solar cells and thus prevent them being unnecessarily refined further. At the same time, the test systems supply valuable data which can be used to continuously improve the control system of the production facility. In this way, the Basler solutions support the manufacturers in their efforts to reduce the consumption of raw materials by using thinner raw wafers and to improve the overall output of the very capital-intensive production facilities.
For entering the solar market, Basler is using its technology and marketing know-how which is based on more than 5,000 installations for surface testing in various industries including the flat screen industry where since 2003 Basler has installed more than 90 systems for the inspection of flat glass and color filters at the globally leading flat screen manufacturers. With that, Basler has developed from a newcomer to the market leader.
The step now taken into the solar market is the company's next step in line with its growth strategy which is that further growth is not only to take place in growing established markets but also by entering new dynamically developing markets.
end of announcement euro adhoc 01.09.2006 09:10:19
Further inquiry note:
Christian Höck
Tel.: +49 (0)4102 463 175
E-Mail: christian.hoeck@baslerweb.com
Branche: Semiconductors & active components
ISIN: DE0005102008
WKN: 510200
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing/prime
standard
Börse Berlin-Bremen / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade