Würth Solar opens new factory

Almost exactly a year after the ground-breaking ceremony, Würth Solar today opened its new production plant for CIS modules in Schwäbisch Hall: CISfab. The company thus opens a new chapter in photovoltaics, because, for the first time in the world, CIS solar modules will roll off the line in large-scale production. In contrast to conventional modules, CIS solar modules do without the currently scarce raw material silicon and are considered to be a trend-setter in industry circles. "Würth Solar will continuously step up its production capacity through to the end of the year and, according to plan, the CISfab will attain full capacity at the turn of the year. This makes us a pioneer in a future-oriented photovoltaic technology and sets a milestone in the booming solar sector", says Karl-Heinz Groß, Managing Director of Würth Solar. From 2007 onwards, Würth Solar will produce 200,000 CIS solar modules a year. This corresponds to 14.8 Megawatts. 175 employees will work in the CISfab from 2007, 35 of whom for the sales partner Würth Solergy. Around 400 employees and invited guests from the world of politics and business attended the ceremonial commissioning of the fully automated production line, among them the Minister-President of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Günther H. Oettinger and Reinhold Würth, Chairman of the Foundation Supervisory Board of the Würth Group. “I am please that, with CIS technology from Würth Solar, an excellent innovation has not only being developed and brought to series maturity in Baden-Württemberg, but is also produced here“, stressed Oettinger on the opening of the plant. The Minister-President underlined that climatic protection was one of the central challenges for sustainable policy. The key lies in a responsible energy policy based on an energy mix. “We want to make Baden-Württemberg into a leader in the research and use of renewable forms of energy. The CISfab makes an important contribution towards this goal."