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The Pramac Group and Oerlikon Solar have announced that production has begun at the Switzerland-based solar module manufacturing facility. Oerlikon Solar's Micromorph end-to-end manufacturing solution enabled Pramac to reach production just seven months after completing its facility.

The plant, which is the largest in the country, near Locarno, will produce 30MWp of thin-film solar panels each year and create 150 high-tech jobs in the region.

"We are pleased to begin production so soon after building our factory, because it allows us to address the fast-growing solar market and gain a return on our investment more quickly," said Paolo Campinotti, CEO of Pramac Group. 

Implementing an end-to-end solution such as Oerlinkon's can reduce the delay and uncertainty of construction time, production ramp-up and module certification.

Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar said, "We are especially pleased to participate in launching Switzerland's first thin-film silicon module volume production line based upon our Micromorph technology, which was invented here in Switzerland, in Neuchâtel."