Hanwha Q CELLS Increases Production Capacity to 1.5 GW by the End of the Year
- Construction of additional 204 MW cell line in Malaysian plant completed on schedule
- 'Manufacturing Excellence Initiatives' at production facilities in Malaysia and Germany to bring another 230 MW by the end of 2014
- Company confirms its No.1 position among European PV providers with 539 MW of shipments in the first half of 2014
German headquartered Hanwha Q CELLS has completed the construction of an additional 204 MW production line for high performance solar cells in its Malaysian manufacturing facility. In addition, Europe's largest photovoltaics (PV) provider today announced a further increase in production capacity to more than 1.5 GW in total. The company said it has launched 'Manufacturing Excellence Initiatives' at both its production sites in Malaysia and Germany, which are expected to result in an additional capacity increase of around 230 MW by the end of this year. By further increasing capacity the company aims to satisfy the growing global demand for its high quality PV modules and solutions.
Hanwha Q CELLS has grown its shipments in the first half of 2014 by 68 percent to 539 MW in total (H1 2013: 320 MW), thus confirming the company's position as the largest European PV provider. CEO Charles Kim says, "Hanwha Q CELLS is further expanding its strong position in the international PV markets. Against the background of rising global demand for our high quality PV products and solutions we will further increase our international production capacities."
Malaysia: Ramp up of new production line according to schedule
The construction of an additional 204 MW cell production line at the company's main plant for mass production in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, was first announced in January 2014. The construction was completed on schedule by the end of June 2014. The line is already producing the company's leading solar cells and is currently being ramped up to full utilization. Thus the company's main facility for mass production in Malaysia has now reached a total production capacity of 1.1 GW.
'Manufacturing Excellence Initiatives'
In addition to the new line in Malaysia, Hanwha Q CELLS has launched 'Manufacturing Excellence Initiatives' at both of the company's production sites in Cyberjaya (Malaysia) and Thalheim (Germany). Starting from 1.1 GW of capacity in Malaysia, the set of measures to reduce cycle times and increase thoughput in all production lines is expected to yield more than 200 MW by the end of 2014. SJ Ryu, Managing Director of Hanwha Q CELLS Malaysia says: "With the increased capacity and enhanced operational excellence, we will further strengthen our position as leaders in technology and quality by providing high efficiency products with competitive pricing to our customers."
A comparable program is scheduled to increase the company's cell production capacity in Germany from the current 200 MW to around 230 MW by the end of the year. At the company headquarters in Thalheim, Hanwha Q CELLS operates in a unique setup of innovation, manufacturing and quality management. Andreas von Zitzewitz, COO at Hanwha Q CELLS, comments, "Our 'Manufacturing Excellence Initiatives' were developed in close cooperation between the teams in Thalheim and Cyberjaya. Thus they provide further evidence, that excellence at Hanwha Q CELLS starts in R&D, continues in manufacturing and results in leading quality products for our customers."
For more information:
- Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH
- Sonnenallee 17-21
- 06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen (OT Thalheim), Germany
- Corporate Communications
- Jochen Endle, Robert Reinsch
- Tel: +49 (0)3494 6699 10121
- Email: presse@q-cells.com
- Executive Board
- Hee Cheul Kim (CEO), Kye Chun Son (CFO),
- Dr. Andreas v. Zitzewitz (COO), Koo Yung Lee (CCO)
Hanwha Qcells
Hanwha Qcells (Hanwha Solutions Qcells division) is one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, recognized for its established reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality solar cells, and modules, a portfolio of intelligent storage systems, and a growing international pipeline of large-scale renewable energy projects. Hanwha Qcells also provides renewable electricity retail services and packages to end customers the world over. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ) with its diverse international manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Hanwha Qcells strives to offer Completely Clean Energy through the full spectrum of photovoltaic products, storage solutions, renewable electricity contracting, and large-scale solar power plants. Through its growing global business network spanning Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, Hanwha Qcells provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, governmental, and residential markets.
For more information, visit: www.qcells.com/us/
Hanwha Group
Founded in 1952, Hanwha has grown quickly by anticipating and responding to changing business environments with a balanced business portfolio that includes energy & materials, aerospace, finance and retail & services. Our expertise and synergy in key areas have catapulted us into the seventh-largest business in South Korea and a Fortune Global 500 company. Hanwha continues to grow rapidly as we strive to pursue global leadership in all of our businesses. We are building a robust foundation for sustainable development and a brighter future for everyone.
For more information, visit: www.hanwha.com
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