Oerlikon Solar reports enormous growth potentila in its First quarter 2008 report
Source: Oerlikon group press release /April 23, 2008
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Oerlikon Solar’s above-average sales increase which is to be expected in the second half of the year will contribute to the positive development in the further course of the business year. A further large order was signed yesterday – with a first customer from Mainland China.
The new segment Oerlikon Solar already showed its enormous growth potential in the first quarter. Compared to the same period last year, sales increased from CHF 43.2 million by over 90 per cent to CHF 82.4 million, just as expected. Order intake amounted to CHF 17.6 million, orders on hand to CHF 403.2 million. The production line for the customer ersol Thin Film was successfully increased to full capacity and the goals set together with the customer were well exceeded.
Together with Oerlikon service specialists, the Asian customer CMC started production of the first thin film silicon modules, and the first micromorph-tandem plant was delivered to Inventux. „So in the first quarter also, we proved we are capable of delivering turnkey solutions and of getting production started in the shortest time possible”, says Oerlikon CEO Krüger. Oerlikon Solar is extremely optimistic about the further course of business in 2008. The development of the location in Singapore is going according to plan. The high level of demand continues, and important market participants such as energy companies, semi conductor manufacturers and consortia are all showing increased interest. For the next quarters, the segment reckons with a further massive increase in sales and orders. In the first quarter, no major contracts were actually signed, but several large orders which require a great deal of time for financial and contractual clarification due to their intense complexity, are on the verge of being signed. These refer amongst others to framework contracts for several plants in Europe and Asia. Yesterday, a first large order from Mainland China was signed. Internal resources and production capacities have been organised to be able to accommodate the turnover goal of CHF 700 million. The current order book already ensures approx. 70 per cent of this goal.