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On August 16, Monier Group signed an agreement to acquire Schott Solar’s InDaX technology for the manufacture of roof-integrated photovoltaics.
Under the terms of the agreement, excluding the framing technology, the group will also have the rights to use the InDax brand name as well as the rights to use the patents related to the product. The financial terms of the transaction remain undisclosed.
The InDax system is used in the so-called portrait roof and has already been launched in Germany, Italy and South-east Europe. The company had worked closely with Schott Solar for the market launch as well as further development of the InDaX system. Additional launches are planned this year in France and the UK.
The acquisition is said to consolidate Monier Group’s position as a “technology leader for the interface of PV products to the pitched roof” market. Commenting on the company’s plans following the acquisition, Pepyn Dinandt, CEO of the Monier Group, said, “"The acquisition is a strategic addition to our existing solar and roofing activities. We are planning to develop the InDaX system into a major part of our solar portfolio in future. We are confident that through the integration of this state-of-the-art technology we are well prepared for further growth in the promising in-roof segment along the lines of our strategic priorities."
Moreover, the director of the business line solar roof systems at Monier Group, Jens Milnikel, explained, “The InDaX allows Monier to tap into promising new distribution channels in the PV market. We are building on a technology that will allow us to more strongly benefit from a trend that sees solar systems becoming independent of feed-in-tariffs and being increasingly used for decentralized own consumption.”
The Monier Group is not planning to take over the PV laminate production. Instead, it will focus on building its partnerships with established manufacturers purchasing their systems. "By building on our proven model where we focus on leveraging our roofing expertise and partnering with quality PV laminate manufacturers we will be able to offer a premium product. Experience from the markets shows that InDaX is the leading product in this segment. We are now able to also offer former Schott Solar customers who would have been forced to look elsewhere an attractive roof-integrated photovoltaic system", says Dr Gerrit Sames, CTPO of Monier Group.
In June, Schott Solar announced that it would cease manufacturing of crystalline photovoltaics. The equipment for framing and finishing was taken over by Monier. However, it will be relocated to a company site north of Milan, Italy.
