Roth & Rau AG / MiscellaneousCorporate news transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.---------------------------------------------------------------------- - Roth & Rau awarded the 'Chemnitz Milestone' prize - Agreement signed with Fraunhofer Institute concerning thin layer solar technology cooperationHohenstein-Ernstthal, 16 January 2007 – Roth & Rau AG was yesterday awardedthe 'Chemnitz Milestone' prize. This prize is awarded by the ChemnitzMarketing Club on an annual basis to honour outstanding entrepreneurialachievement. The jury highlighted the farsighted, premature and courageousfocus of Roth & Rau AG on a strategic growth field as representing thecompany’s outstanding achievement. 'We should like to thank the Board ofChemnitz Marketing Club for this special accolade,' commented Dr. DietmarRoth, CEO of Roth & Rau AG. 'Although our company is active on aninternational level, we nevertheless attach great importance to ourregional roots. We are proud to be able to make a positive contribution tothe positive economic development of the Chemnitz region.'Following the awarding of the prize, Dr. Dietmar Roth and Prof. EickeWeber, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE),signed a joint memorandum of understanding providing for the commercialdevelopment of the thin layer solar technology known as 'epitactic waferequivalents'. The progressing of this technology, which has been developedat ISE, as far as readiness for production is to be undertaken within adevelopment project lasting around two and a half years. Work is expectedto begin within the next three months.The new technology is based on wafers consisting of a form of silicon whichis low-grade, inexpensive and, most importantly, available in sufficientquantities. A thin layer of high-quality silicon is then applied to thewafers. The wafer resulting from this mixture of materials can then befurther processed like any conventional wafer. The particular benefit ofthis technology is the enormous cost saving potential with only a slightloss of effectiveness. 'We see this wafer-equivalent technology asrepresenting a promising alternative both to conventional wafertechnologies and to existing forms of thin layer technology. Oneparticularly interesting feature for us is that we will be able to draw onproven crystalline technology, meaning that it is certainly conceivablethat this method can be used within the framework of our turnkey productionline concept,' explained Dr. Roth.About Roth & Rau AG:Roth & Rau AG, which has been listed on the FrankfurtStock Exchange since 11 May 2006 (ISIN DE000A0JCZ51), develops andmanufactures equipment and process systems on the basis of plasma and ionbeam technology and supplies these to a global customer base in a widevariety of sectors. Roth & Rau’s photovoltaic business field focuses onproviding antireflective coating facilities for crystalline silicon solarcells. With a global market share of around one third, Roth & Rau is theglobal market leader in this area. The company’s second business field ofplasma and ion beam technology, which accounted for around 30% of totalsales in the past financial year, develops equipment for the semiconductorand automotive industries, as well as for research and development invarious sectors.Contact:Haubrok Investor Relations GmbHSimone GornyKaistraße 1640221 DüsseldorfTel.: +49 (0) 211/30126-130Fax: +49 (0)211/30126-172E-Mail: s.gorny@haubrok.deDGAP 16.01.2007 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: EnglishIssuer: Roth & Rau AG Gewerbering 3 OT Wüstenbrand 09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal DeutschlandPhone: 0372349880Fax: 03723 498825E-mail: silvia.roth@roth-rau.deWWW: www.roth-rau.deISIN: DE000A0JCZ51WKN: A0JCZ5Indices: Listed: Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart; Entry Standard in Frankfurt End of News DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
