cell industry has led to WACKER’s starting ‘stage 8’ of polysilicon
production expansion at its Burghausen, Germany site by an additional
7,000 metric tons to a total of 21,500 metric tons per year.
At a capital cost of around €400 million, the new plant is scheduled to
reach full capacity in 2010 and generate 200 extra jobs directly.
“Today’s
expansion decision reflects the continuously strong demand of our
polysilicon customers,” said Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker, the Group’s
president and CEO. “We are already the world’s second-largest
polysilicon producer. By heavily increasing our capacities, we intend
to keep narrowing the gap on the market leader. Also, we consider this
project a major contribution to accelerate growth in the solar
industry,” added the CEO.
“Thanks to its advanced infrastructure
and integrated production systems, Burghausen proved to be the best
location for this capacity expansion – from both an economic and
technical point of view,” explained Ewald Schindlbeck, President of
WACKER POLYSILICON. “An especially important factor in Burghausen’s
favor,” he added, “is the short time needed to complete the new
facility there.”
First material for sale from the new ‘stage 8’ is expected to be available in Q4 2009.