MOFCOM approves sale of Oerlikon’s solar division

October 23, 2012
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

The sale of Oerlikon Group’s loss-making Oerlikon Solar to Tokyo Electron (TEL) has received regulatory approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

The sale to Japanese semi-conductor equipment supplier TEL was originally announced on March 2 and according to reports, TEL is paying a purchase price of US$275 million for the thin-film firm.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Headquartered in Switzerland, Oerlikon Solar is the originator of the turnkey thin-film business model with a-Si and tandem-junction thin-film technology.

When the sale was announced, Dr Michael Buscher, CEO of Oerlikon Group, revealed that the divestment was part of the company’s strategy to “streamline and balance the group portfolio”.

With the Chinese approval, all necessary regulatory requirements to close the deal have been fulfilled. As a result, the companies are now entering the closing process.
 

Read Next

May 1, 2026
TPREL has proposed investment of up to INR65 billion (US$685 million) to establish a 10GW solar PV ingot and wafer manufacturing plant. 
Premium
May 1, 2026
“We have copper shortages, aluminium shortages [and] all kinds of raw materials are struggling,” says the GEA's John Mitchell.
May 1, 2026
US cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar manufacturer First Solar has posted increased sales and income for the first quarter of 2026.
May 1, 2026
CIP has acquired Orsted’s European onshore portfolio with 826MW of operational and under-construction capacity. 
April 30, 2026
Australia's surging solar adoption has driven battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the National Electricity Market (NEM) to more than triple their daytime-to-evening energy shifting in the first quarter of 2026, according to AEMO's latest Quarterly Energy Dynamics report.
Premium
April 30, 2026
US solar is 'relatively strong [because] the fundamentals for solar are really strong,' Aurora Solar's Fox Swim tells PV Tech Premium.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
May 27, 2026
9am BST / 10am CEST
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
June 3, 2026
National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
August 25, 2026
São Paulo, Brazil
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA