Corporate | 19 March 2008 11:30
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG / Alliance
Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory
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Press Release
SINGULUS and Q-Cells to Optimize Solar Cell Production
Cooperation agreement for the development of a fully-automated coating
machine signed
Kahl am Main, March 19, 2008 - SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES (SINGULUS), Kahl/Main,
and Q-Cells AG, Bitterfeld-Wolfen, intend to jointly optimize the
production of crystalline solar cells. The goal is to improve productivity
and therefore to reduce production costs and on the other hand to increase
the energy efficiency of mono- and poly-crystalline silicon cells.
Stefan A. Baustert, Chief Executive Officer of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES
AG, comments: 'With the continuing increase of the output and the yield,
SINGULUS’ machines have enabled a cost-efficient mass production of CDs and
DVDs. Now we intend to apply our automation and coating know-how to the
production of solar cells.'
'This project is an important milestone in our close cooperation with plant
engineering companies', adds Dr. Florian Holzapfel, Chief Technology
Officer (CTO) of the Q-Cells AG. 'In order to come closer to the
PV-industry’s target to make solar power compatible, the significant
reduction of production costs is essential. This will only be possible, if
the cell developers with their process know-how work closely together with
equipment producers to transfer further advanced production processes from
research and development into the production steps.'
The first stage of the cooperation agreement with Q-Cells is the
development of a new, fully into the cell production integrated coating
station. With the vacuum coating process applied in the DVD production, the
manufacture of anti-reflective layers on solar wafers will be fully
automated in the future. With the extremely high quality of the
anti-reflective layers in the nanometer area the light transmission and the
passivation characteristics will be improved and therefore the energy
efficiency of the finished cells improved. The first coating machine from
SINGULUS will already be tested in Q-Cells’ production in the current year.
Stefan A. Baustert notes: 'We are very pleased that we were able to get
Q-Cells, the No. 1 in the production of solar cells, on board for
cooperation.' Combined with the equipment from STANGL the SINGULUS Group
will then be able to offer two important machine groups with wet-chemical
and vacuum coating processes for the production of crystalline silicon
solar cells.
Short profile SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is market leader for optical disc production lines
and is the only supplier worldwide to cover the entire product range:
mastering, molding and replication lines.
In addition to the further development of the core activities of Optical
Disc, the diversification into new work areas is the most important
challenge.
With the acquisition of the STANGL Semiconductor Equipment AG SINGULUS
successfully entered the solar equipment market. The new business area
Solar will be strongly expanded in the next couple of years.
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstraße 103,
D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890
For further information please contact:
Maren Schuster, Head of Investor Relations, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6188 440 612
Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Tel.: Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 9828020
19.03.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP
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Language: English
Issuer: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG
Hanauer Landstrasse 103
63796 Kahl am Main
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)6188 440-105
Fax: +49 (0)6188 440-110
E-mail: maren.schuster@singulus.de
Internet: www.singulus.de
ISIN: DE0007238909
WKN: 723890
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf
End of News DGAP News-Service
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