Solar material producer 3M’s tender offer to buy all issued and outstanding shares of ceramics firm Ceradyne common stock was completed on 27 November with a price of US$35 per share.
Shipments of both polysilicon and solar wafers at GCL-Poly, China’s largest producer, fell significantly in the third quarter of 201 underlining the overall weakness in demand from major tier 1 module manufacturing customers based in China.
Specialty metal and chemical products producer 5N Plus has opened a new recycling facility within the Kulim High Technology Park in Malaysia, completed under budget.
Silicon crystallisation equipment supplier PVA TePla generated revenue of €83.7 million in the first nine months of 2012, slightly higher than the same period a year ago when revenue reached €77.3 million.
From the heart of its R&D centre in Rochester, New York, Natcore Technology scientists have developed what they call the “first black silicon solar cell”.
Specialist equipment supplier, GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) is claiming its new hydrochlorination solution for trichlorosilane (TCS) production used in fluid bed reactor (FBR) polysilicon production takes production costs below US$14/kg.
Major PV equipment supplier, centrotherm photovoltaics has submitted its reorganization plans to the insolvency court in Ulm, Germany. Although the company did not provide details on what those plans would be, the company said in a statement that it had now entered a critical phase in its insolvency proceedings that also need creditor approval. Both its subsidiaries, centrotherm thermal solutions and centrotherm SiTec have also filed plans with the court separately.
Overcapacity in the c-Si ingot/wafer supply chain has forced materials specialist, Cookson to close one of its two ingot crucible production plants in China, with immediate effect. The company had closed a similar plant in the Czech Republic in July 2012, which has supplied crucibles, primarily to the European market. Major European-based ingot/wafer producers such as PV Crystalox are down below 30% capacity utilization on the back of weak demand.
3M and Ceradyne revealed that they have entered a definitive agreement, which will see 3M buy Ceradyne for US$35 per share. The transaction holds an aggregate value of nearly US$860 million, or US$670 million net of cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and debt acquired. Ceradyne, a major producer of crucibles used in the production of polysilicon chunks for multicrystalline ingots and then wafers, will join the 3M Energy Advanced Materials Division.
