04/22/2010 07:36:00 CEST
- Vacuum-coating technology being established as a further core competence
- Initial contributions to revenues expected in 2011
Reutlingen, April 22, 2010 – Manz Automation AG, one of the world’s leading technology providers for the photovoltaic and flat panel display (FPD) industry, has opened a development center for vacuum-coating technology in Karlstein (Hanau / Aschaffenburg region / Germany). The newly established subsidiary Manz Coating GmbH started work on March 1. The core team with extensive, long-standing expertise in developing and building vacuum-coating equipment has commenced its activities at the new location. The team is to be further expanded during the course of the year and all of the competences needed to develop vacuum-coating equipment and processes are to be bundled at this location. In addition, Manz also plans to set up a technical lab to develop and test new coating methods and technologies.
Developing vacuum-coating equipment for crystalline solar cells and thin-film solar modules is a key milestone in the company’s growth. As a result, the future share accounted for by the machines developed and produced by the Manz Group for both technologies will increase to up to 90%. This very high internal percentage of own machines allows extensive integration of individual machines and processes. Consequently, the costs of production lines can be reduced still further, and the potential to increase efficiency to be even better exploited.
Establishing vacuum-coating technology as an additional core competence opens up substantial potential for revenues over the medium term. That is why entering this segment is a key strategic step for Manz in order to further drive the company’s growth. The company plans to produce the machines at the Manz facilities in Europe and Asia and the new technology is forecasted to make initial contributions to increasing revenues from mid-2011.
Dieter Manz, Manz Automation AG’s CEO, is very pleased to once again achieve a key strategic target: “We have succeeded in acquiring top-quality specialists for the design and development of vacuum-coating equipment. That is why we are very confident that, within the briefest of development periods, and that means in 2011, we will be able to launch the first innovative machines on the market. This is a decisive step for positioning Manz Automation as a provider of technology and process machines, and, in particular, to future-proof the entire group. This not only rounds out our product range, but also creates a broader technology footing to achieve future increases in efficiency for products in all of our company’s divisions.”
