Sustained strong demand has led solar wafer producer, PV Crystalox Solar to publically provide a longer-range insight into its capacity expansion plans through to the end of 2012. Previously, the wafer producer had noted that plans to expand to 630MW were only under review. However, PV Crystalox said in an interim management statement that it was ‘actively planning the next stages of capacity expansion which will enable us to reach 630MW at the end of 2011 and 800MW at end of 2012.’
Despite ramping its own polysilicon plant in Germany to an annualised rate of 1200MT per annum, which it achieved during the last three months, PV Crystalox said that has recently entered into a new five year contract with one of its external polysilicon suppliers to support the planned wafer production expansion.
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Although demand continued to be strong from its traditional customer base in Germany and Japan, PV Crystalox noted growing customer demand from Taiwan.
PV Crystalox also noted that its expansion of ingot production at its Milton Park facility in the UK is on track to reach the targeted from 500MW level by the end of the first quarter, 2011.
The company guided full year shipment volumes to be around 350MW, slightly ahead of the 320-340MW range previously guided, though at same levels guided in March, 2010.
