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Schott Solar has expanded its photovoltaic module manufacturing line in Albuquerque, NM,, less than nine months after starting production at the facility. The company says it will double PV production, increasing from two shifts to four shifts on a rotating schedule, effectively creating a 24/7 manufacturing plan at the factory. As a result of the moves, Schott has hired 60 new employees.
Schott noted that it has been hiring up to 10 new employees per week since the first of November, and that most of the new positions have been PV production technicians. In addition to more than doubling the ranks of production technicians, the company has added new materials handlers and tech services/facilities techs.
These 60 new employees will increase the staffing level to 160 employees by the end of December.
“Creating jobs in today’s economic environment is a tremendous achievement for any company,” said Gerald Fine, CEO/president of Schott Solar. “To be able to almost double our PV workforce in such a short time is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people who have been with us from the start. They put in the work that allows us to grow.”
To meet the hiring demand in a relatively compressed time-frame, Schott partnered with Manpower of Albuquerque to help in its human resources efforts.
A company spokesman told PV Tech that once the expansion is completed, the module line will be producing 85MW of the Schott Poly 210, 217, 220, and 225 crystalline-silicon models by year's end.
He added that the company believes that this production move "will better position Schott Solar to meet what we anticipate will be increased market demand in 2010 and beyond."
