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Continuing its strategic focus on the solar cell manufacturing market,
Applied Materials has made another major acquisition in the solar
equipment sector with the purchase of Switzerland-based HCT Shaping
Systems SA, the largest specialist in wafer sawing tools for both solar
and semiconductor wafer markets.
Applied will pay approximately CHF 583 million (or approximately US$475
million at the current exchange rate) in cash for all of the
outstanding shares of HCT, which is a privately held company.
“This
acquisition aligns well with our overall strategy to drive down the
cost-per-watt of solar power for c-Si and thin film applications,” said
Mike Splinter, President and CEO of Applied Materials. “HCT will
significantly expand our opportunities in the c-Si PV technology
sector, which currently comprises 90% of solar panel production. By
combining HCT’s precision wafering systems with Applied’s strong
manufacturing technology and global support infrastructure, we believe
we can take solar wafer manufacturing to the next level of production
efficiency.”
“Our overall solar strategy is to reduce
cost-per-watt, and for c-Si, the ‘grams of silicon-per-watt’ is key to
this equation,” commented Dr. Mark Pinto, senior Vice President and
General Manager of Applied’s New Business and New Products Group.
“HCT’s technology and roadmap to reduce wafer thickness are critical to
improving material utilization and will complement our high throughput
c-Si ATON deposition system, enabling customers to scale up production
and reduce cost.”
HCT, which has been in business for over 20
years, has in recent times experienced rapid growth due to the growing
solar market. The company saw sales double in 2005 compared to 2004
with sales tripling in 2006 over the previous year’s record sales
growth.
The latest acquisition by Applied Materials follows on
from the major acquisition of Applied Films almost a year ago for
US$464 million.
Taking into account other investments and
acquisitions, Applied Materials has spent in the region of US$1.0
billion dollars in the last 12 months on solar-related business
investments.
