Carefully citing the longer-term demand for polysilicon from the photovoltaics industry, Tokuyama Corp. has doubled the planned capacity of a new polysilicon plant, originally announced in November 2008. Instead of a planned 3000MT capacity, the facility's nameplate will be boosted to 6000MT. Full capacity is expected in 2013. Construction of the plant is estimated to cost approximately ¥65 billion.
The plant is being built at the Samalaju Industrial Park, Sarawak, on a 200-hectare site. Initially, Tokuyama expects to employ 300 workers at the facility. The new plant will take Tokuyama’s capacity to 14,200MT per annum.