Overcapacity, weak demand and uncompetitive production have forced around 90% of polysilicon producers in China to suspend production, according to news reports in China.
UK-based solar wafer producer, PV Crystalox Solar will implement a significant reduction in its workforce, while discontinuing its polysilicon operations in Germany and heavily cut ingot production in the UK and wafer production in Germany.
PPG Industries flat glass business unit has said that it can now manufacture heat-strengthened glass in thicknesses of less than 3mm, which makes it among the first major glass manufacturers in North America to offer this capability. PPG offers the SOLARPHIRE glass in heat-strengthened configuration with thicknesses of 2, 2.5 and 2.7mm.
The Dow Chemical Company has developed a diamond wire ingot squaring coolant that improves PV wafer manufacturing efficiency while also improving the sustainability of the production process. ENLIGHT DC-8300 is water-based and provides better cutting precision and efficiency.
Slower demand from key European markets saw Suntech Power Holdings report preliminary Q3 2012 revenue of approximately US$387 million, down 18% from the prior quarter.
Mondragon Assembly has launched the new Tabber & Stringer TS 1200 Plus, with a net capacity of 1,300 solar cells soldered per hour. Mondragon believes the new system is one of the fastest and most versatile combined tabber and stringers, available on the market.
With the SamBa series of low-light cameras, Sensovation is able to offer sensitivity in the near-IR range at high speed that enables industrial testing applications such as electroluminescence imaging of solar sells and modules. SamBa Ci is a 2 MPixel, high sensitivity camera optimised for high-throughput EL-based inspection.
