Heraeus Expands Taiwanese Paste Production
Heraeus Photovoltaics announced on 15 October at the PV Taiwan trade exposition in Taipei that it is expanding its presence in the Republic of China (RoC) by adding local manufacture of front-side metallization pastes to its existing product line.
Making the announcement in a ribbon cutting ceremony on the tradeshow floor was a delegation of senior executives including Andreas Liebheit, President of Heraeus Photovoltaics Global Business Unit; Dr. P. H. Chang, CEO of Motech Industries, Inc., Chairman of the SEMI Taiwan PV Committee and the TPVIA; and Dr. Sam Hong, CEO of Neo Solar Power Corp. Heraeus expects manufacture of front-side pastes to begin in its expanded Taiwanese facility in November.
(Pictured left-to-right) Dr. Sam Hong, CEO of Neo Solar Power Corp.; Andreas Liebheit, President of Heraeus Photovoltaics Global Business Unit; Dr. P. H. Chang, CEO of Motech Industries, Inc., Chairman of the SEMI Taiwan PV Committee and the TPVIA; and Jason Lu, Deputy General Manager, Heraeus Metal Technology Taiwan, Ltd.
Liebheit met with Solar + Power Management magazine contributor Mark Andrews prior to the official ceremony to discuss the company's history in Taiwan and operations across Asia. Liebheit said the manufacture of high quality solar cells and modules as well as new research and development work was driving his company's expansion in Taiwan. This effort will support industry growth across Asian markets as well as the worldwide surge in photovoltaic energy generation.
"In order for us to offer customization and shorten lead times for customers, it is vital to have a strong operational presence where our customers are, and Taiwan has grown to become an important market for us," Liebheit said.
Heraeus' presence in the region has grown considerably since the company began Taiwanese manufacturing of backside metallization pastes in 2012. The company added manufacturing in China in 2014, complemented by the installation of two Product Modification Labs (PML) in China and Taiwan in early 2015. Prior to adding local metallization paste manufacturing the company's Taiwanese capabilities included technical field support and sales operations.
Heraeus' addition of front-side paste manufacturing in Taiwan signals the company's growing commitment to developing new products in-market, and faster access to the latest pastes and customization for major Taiwanese customers. The expansion adds to the company's presence across Asia that includes facilities in China, Japan, Korea and Singapore.
"Heraeus already supports a substantial portion of the global market for silver metallization pastes in PV manufacture. The growth in Taiwan points to further expansion and ambitious growth objectives. We believe our product leadership and local presence in key markets will support these goals," he added.
Liebheit stated that Heraeus presently supports top Taiwanese PV cell and panel makers and is doubling its capacity to support their growth while seeking to expand its overall customer base. Solar has experienced substantial growth across Taiwan since 2007, as noted by the Republic's President, Dr. Ying-Jeou Ma, in PV Taiwan's opening ceremony on 14 October. The president stated that solar-related enterprises across Taiwan have more than tripled in the last seven years, noting that solar revenue in 2007 was $53.5 billion (NTD) and by 2014 had grown to $184 billion (NTD).