North America presence in solar inverter production, sales and services in Ontario, Canada.
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• The SMA Group unlocks new growth market in North America
• SMA establishes subsidiary for production, sales and services in Ontario, Canada
• To begin with, production designed for an annual capacity of up to 500 megawatts
• Start of production planned for Q4/2010
• Solar inverters to be manufactured for the Canadian photovoltaic market in the new factory
Niestetal, [WorldofRenewables.com]
SMA Solar Technology AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: S92) is to strengthen its presence in North America with the foundation of a subsidiary in Canada. The site will be selected during the course of the first half of 2010. The initial investment volume is between € 5 and 10 million. SMA solar inverters from the Sunny Boy, Sunny Central and Sunny Island product ranges are to be produced for the Canadian market. Sales and services are also to be bundled together into the company. SMA is planning to create 100 to 200 jobs on site in the medium term.
The province of Ontario in Canada offers an outstanding framework for the development of a sustainable photovoltaic market. The recently implemented support programme, combined with above-average solar radiation, creates a strong incentive for investment in photovoltaics. For manufacturers of photovoltaic components, the programme comprises of a call for local content. The goal of this call is the creation of high-quality jobs in a sector geared to the future.
“We support this call for local content and are meeting this requirement with the establishment of a production facility there,” explains Günther Cramer, Chief Executive Officer at SMA Solar Technology AG. “Ontario’s support programme is a guiding light and, according to our evaluation, of the potential in inspiring other Canadian provinces to follow suit.”
In parallel, the SMA Group is also increasing production capacity at the sites in Kassel and Denver. Germany is to remain the main production and technological development area for the future. At the sites in Niestetal and Kassel, annual capacity is to be increased to around 10 gigawatts by the middle of the year through the implementation of interim solutions. Production in Denver, USA is in the initial phase, operating at an annual capacity of around 1 gigawatt, and should start production this summer.
Source: SMA Solar Technologies