EANS-News: centrotherm photovoltaics expands production area at Blaubeuren site by one third to around 31,000 square meters
Production output boosted to over 100 systems per month Order levels remain high for key solar equipment Clear commitment to Germany as a production location
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Company Information
Subtitle: Production output boosted to over 100 systems per month Order levels remain high for key solar equipment Clear commitment to Germany as a production location
Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - March 17, 2011 centrotherm photovoltaics AG is on course for expansion, committing investments at its Blaubeuren headquarters in view of high order volumes. In the coming months the production area at the southern German site, currently 23,000 square meters, will be extended by a third to comprise a total of some 31,000 square meters. The investment volume is in the double-digit million euro range. At Blaubeuren, the world's leading technology and equipment provider in the photovoltaics sector manufactures key equipment for the production of solar cells. This includes tube furnaces for phosphorous diffusion (POCl3) and batch-type systems for anti-reflective coating (PECVD systems) of solar cells, as well as firing furnaces in which front and rear contacts are burnt onto the solar wafer at high temperatures.
"By expanding our production area we will be able to produce over 100 systems a month, thereby meeting the high level of customer demand for our key equipment - both promptly and in excellent quality", said Dr. Dirk Stenkamp, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Board Member of centrotherm photovoltaics AG. "At the same time, this expansion in Blaubeuren is a clear commitment to Germany as a manufacturing location, as well as the region of Baden-Württemberg." The investment will also create new training and job vacancies at centrotherm photovoltaics as well as among its suppliers.
Over the last months, production capacity has already been significantly expanded by means of optimized structures and processes. Manufacturing output already tripled in 2010 to a level of 60 systems per month. With new record order levels of more than one billion euros (1,049.8 million euros) in fiscal 2010, centrotherm photovoltaics has equipment orders on hand to take the company well into 2011.
About centrotherm photovoltaics AG centrotherm photovoltaics AG, which is based at Blaubeuren, is the world's leading technology and equipment provider for the photovoltaics sector. The company equips well-known solar companies and new sector entrants with turnkey production lines and single equipment to manufacture silicon, crystalline solar cells and thin film modules. As a consequence, the Group possesses a broad and well-founded technological basis, as well as key equipment at practically all steps of the photovoltaics value chain. centrotherm photovoltaics guarantees its customers important performance parameters such as production capacity, efficiencies, and completion deadlines. The Group employs over 1,400 staff members, and operates in Europe, Asia and the USA. centrotherm photovoltaics achieved revenue in the 2010 financial year of EUR 624.2 million, EBIT of EUR 75.4 million, according to provisional figures. The company is listed in the TecDAX index on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Contact: Saskia Feil Senior Manager Investor & Public Relations Tel: +49 7344 918-8890 E-mail: saskia.feil@centrotherm.de
Dr. Torsten Knödler Manager Public Relations Tel: +49 7344 918-8898 E-mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de
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Contact:
Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel.: 07344 - 918-8898
E-Mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de
Branche: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
WKN: A0JMMN
Index: TecDAX
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
München / free trade