Manz breaks ground for CIGS production line

At the same time the company announces that the project for the CIGS research line (CIGSlab) is proceeding on schedule. "A good report for the start of the year: we are right on track with our preliminary work in our solar project and are within the scheduled timeline," Eckhard Hörner-Marass, Management Board Chairman of Manz AG, said in a press release. On about 58’000 square meters in Chongqing City, the 306 MW CIGSfab will be the largest production plant for CIGS thin-film solar modules in the country. The new construction is scheduled for completion end of third quarter 2018 – with production ready to start mid 2019. In the future, about 450 employees will work at the location in Chongqing City. The new construction of the 44 MW CIGSlab research line will be built on about 16’000 square meters in Beijing and is also scheduled for completion end of third quarter 2018. The CIGSlab will commence operation beginning of the second quarter 2019. Together with the existing innovation line for CIGS thin film solar modules in Schwäbisch Hall, the CIGSlab will further accelerate the research process with about 170 employees. The goal is to leverage the potential of the CIGS technology for further increases in efficiency and reduction of manufacturing costs.