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Photovoltaics technology and equipment supplier Roth & Rau has officially opened a new R&D facility at its headquarters in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany. The 1,500 m² lab facility was opened last Friday at a cost of €11 million and will focus on products and processes for use in the production of novel, more efficient solar cells.

"We are delighted to be able to open our new Technology Centre today, thus providing us with urgently needed additional space for our growing research and development activities," commented Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO of Roth & Rau AG, "Since the company's foundation 19 years ago, it has been our employees' power of innovation and their courage to think in new directions that have been among our most important strengths. We will continue to cultivate this tradition closely, as it is of decisive importance for the ongoing successful development and further growth."

Roth & Rau said that the facility would also be used for customer application work and for equipment training for customers. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will also participate with around €3 million in equipping the Technology Centre with technology for research projects to be performed jointly by Roth & Rau and Fraunhofer institutes in Saxony.