Yingli Retains Pole Position in GlobalData's Top 5 Manufacturers 2013
Yingli Green Energy (Yingli), has retained its top position in 2013 after producing 9.4% of the world's crystalline modules in the same year, according to new figures released by research and consulting firm GlobalData.
Trina Solar (Trina) is a close competitor, having produced just 400 MW less than Yingli in 2013 and takes second place in GlobalData's ranking.
Sameer Joshi, Director of Research and Analysis for Power and Alternative Energy at GlobalData, says: "The recovery of solar photovoltaic demand in 2013 benefited the supply side of the market significantly. As a result, crystalline module production grew from 30 Gigawatts (GW) in 2012 to 33 GW in 2013, representing an impressive annual growth rate of 10.4%.
"Meanwhile, global module prices also recovered and stabilized at $0.75 per Watt at the end of 2013, and the leading manufacturers were able to attain positive gross margins for the same year. However, the majority of these companies still have a lot of work to do in terms of cost restructuring and improving overall operational efficiency, in order to reach positive earnings before income and tax levels."
Sharp gained entry into the top five crystalline module manufacturers in 2013 with a leap to third position from sixth in 2012. The strategic moves of Sharp and Trina displaced Canadian Solar as the second-ranking company in 2012 to fourth place in 2013, making it the only company in GlobalData's top five to have dropped from its 2012 position.
After being held by JA Solar in 2012, fifth place was then captured by JinkoSolar, which jumped up from eighth position in 2012 and supplanted JA Solar, according to GlobalData.
