Meyer Burger Ltd has won from the WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH joint venture an important order for wire and cropping saws with a total order value for a moderate double-digit amount in millions Swiss Francs. The first wire saws, including the ID/OD saws, will be delivered from the first quarter of 2009 onwards. The remaining wire saws shall be delivered in stages on the basis of a call-off contract in the following years.
Meyer Burger Technology Ltd (SWX Swiss Exchange: MBTN) announced today that the Meyer Burger Ltd, a member of the Meyer Burger Group, shall provide wire and ID/OD saws to the WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH joint venture, which has its main office in Jena, Germany, as part of the latter’s expansion plans. The high-tech slicing saws from Meyer Burger Ltd will be delivered in stages. The first delivery shall include wire and cropping saws and will start in 2009. Additional deliveries will be made in the following years.
With the successful conclusion of this contract WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH underlines its strategic cooperation with Meyer Burger Ltd. Meyer Burger Ltd has strengthened its position as an important partner within the multi-source strategy of WACKER SCHOTT Solar against well-known competitors.
WACKER SCHOTT Solar is confident of the high-tech slicing systems and the experience of Meyer Burger to supply highly integrated and automated manufacturing systems and processes in the wafering value-added chain. The total order value for machinery for wire and ID/OD saws is part of the expansion plans of WACKER SCHOTT Solar for a fully integrated wafer fab with a production capacity of about 1 Gigawatt in 2012.
For further information, please contact:
Werner Buchholz, Head of Corporate Communications
+41 33 439 05 06 - w.buchholz@meyerburger.ch
About Meyer Burger Technology Ltd
www.meyerburger.ch
Meyer Burger Technology Ltd is a leading and globally active technology group for innovative systems and processes for cutting and handling crystalline and other high-grade materials.
The machines, competences and technologies of the different companies in the group are used in the solar industry (photovoltaics), semi-conductor and optical industry. The thinnest wafers made from silicon, sapphire or other crystals are required in these three markets to manufacture solar modules, switching circuits or high-performance LEDs. The group’s core competencies are made up of a whole range of production processes, machines and systems that are used within the value chain in the manufacture of high quality wafers. The comprehensive range of products is complemented by a worldwide service network with wear and tear parts, consumables, re-grooving service, process know-how, servicing, after-sales service, training and other services. As a globally active company, the group is represented in Europe, Asia and North America in the respective key markets.
Meyer Burger has its headquarters and the production facility of Meyer Burger Ltd in Switzerland, while the new group companies, Meyer Burger Automation GmbH, Hennecke Systems GmbH and AMB Apparate + Maschinenbau GmbH, have their headquarters and production facilities in Germany. The group also has subsidiaries in China and Japan, and service centres in Germany and the Philippines, which are all represented by its own staff on-site. In Taiwan and the USA, Meyer Burger works with independent sales and service partners that are part of Meyer Burger’s global service network. In other important countries the company relies on selected independent agents. Meyer Burger generated net sales of CHF 208 million in fiscal year 2007 and employs more than 470 staff worldwide by end of June 2008.
About WACKER SCHOTT Solar
www.wackerschott.com
WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH is a joint venture between Wacker Chemie AG and SCHOTT Solar AG. The company manufactures hyperpure silicon wafers, the starting material of polycrystalline solar cells. Over the coming years, WACKER SCHOTT Solar plans to invest a total of €370 million at its sites in Jena (Thuringia) and Alzenau (Bavaria), creating at least 700 new jobs. Total solar-wafer production capacity is set to expand in stages, reaching about one gigawatt annually by 2012.
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Press Release WACKER SCHOTT, 125 KB, PDF
