Pfeiffer profits from solar industry boom

Pfeiffer Vacuum is to participate in the solar industry boom, after signing contract extensions to build on previously successful supply relationships.

Having successfully handled contracts to build systems for the production of thin-layer solar cells for Solibro in Thalheim, Germany, significantly larger follow-on contracts have now been signed.

Solibro GmbH, a joint venture company of Q-Cells AG and Solibro AB of Sweden, had put the first thin-layer solar cell production systems into operation in May of this year. At the inaugural ceremony, Pfeiffer Vacuum received the Best Supplier award.

The existing systems are now being extended to 45 MWp in order to expand production capacities. Upgrade of the systems is scheduled to be concluded by mid 2009.

In addition, Pfeiffer Vacuum has now received extensive contracts to build further vacuum systems offering a total capacity of 90 MWp for coating thin-layer solar cells. These systems are scheduled to go into operation by year-end 2009. Given these orders, Pfeiffer Vacuum already anticipates strong sales growth in fiscal 2009.

Pfeiffer Vacuum intends to steadily expand the percentage of its sales that are attributable to the solar market. In addition to these contracts for systems, further contracts from key customers in the solar industry for pumps and components will also contribute toward achieving this objective.

According to Pfeiffer, the solar industry presently accounts for around 11% of total sales and it is anticipated that this metric will grow to between 18-20% by year-end 2009.