Scheuten Solar sells their cell production in Germany to ARISE
The company will use the building as a Technology Centre with a pilot production line to commercialize the company’s highefficiency PV cell technology.
Scheuten PV cell plant in Gelsenkirchen
The decision is according to the strategic plans of Scheuten Solar, where the focus is on other stages in the solar value chain. Scheuten Solar has signed a lease with ARISE regarding the Scheuten PV cell manufacturing plant located in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. ARISE will use the building as a Technology Centre with a pilot production line to commercialize the company’s highefficiency PV cell technology. Scheuten has an option to sell the building and property to ARISE in 2012.
Furthermore Scheuten Solar sold the assets, including inventory, of the PV cell manufacturing plant. ARISE will employ all people who are currently employed at the Gelsenkirchen plant. Scheuten’s 4,350-square-metre PV cell plant in Gelsenkirchen was built by Shell Solar and started operation in 2000.
“Delivering on our high-efficiency PV cell program is a very important part of our strategy to differentiate ourselves in the marketplace,” said Vern Heinrichs, ARISE’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased that we can move forward with this significant step in our technology program at this time. This announcement is the first step of the next phase of our technology commercialization program and we expect that it will take a number of months to finalize the funding, partners, and other aspects required to ramp up this program.”
“The worldwide crisis accelerated our plans. Selling the cell factory fits our business strategy very well but was originally planned for 2010. We are very happy that both parties accomplished to secure the jobs of our employees that are working in the cell factory”, stated Frans van den Heuvel, Chief Executive Officer of Scheuten Solar.
(Press Release - Scheuten, 13 October 2009)
More information in press releases of arise technologies corporation here and here.