Applied Materials’ solar business has been feeling the pressures of late.
The manufacturing equipment supplier appears to be seeing solid sales of machinery to make polysilicon solar cells. Prices of the finished cells have fallen and demand is surging ahead of July cuts in the German feed-in tariffs.
But Applied’s SunFab thin-film gear seems to be flagging. It is high priced, and competitors claim it trails in some key innovations.
The equipment giant received some good news about the troubled business this week and it subsequently suggested the SunFab line is set to capitalize on significant market opportunities.
The product line won a master certification from Underwriters Laboratories, which can streamline a manufacturer’s ability to get its modules into the market. The SunFab equipment produces large panels that measure 5.7 square meters.
In a press release announcing the news, Applied Materials Corporate Vice President Kirk Hasserjian said solar cell production should more than double in two years to 2 GW from 400 MW. The certification is critical to SunFab customers working in this market, he said, suggesting they were poised for expansion.
