GT Solar signs over $40 million in new contracts with GCL-Poly
PC's Solar Photovoltaics Blog
GT Solar International Inc., a global provider of specializedproduction equipment, process technology and turnkey manufacturingservices for the solar power industry, has signed contracts in excessof $40 million with two wholly owned subsidiaries of China-basedGCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd (GCL-Poly).
The first agreement,with Jiangsu Zhongneng Polysilicon Technology Development Co. Ltd isfor GT Solar’s best-in-class Trichlorosilane (TCS) ProductionTechnology Solution. The second, with Jiangsu GCL Silicon MaterialTechnology Development Co. Ltd is for GT Solar’s market-leadingDirectional Solidification System (DSS) furnaces and ancillaryequipment. These contracts represent the first purchases of GT Solarequipment and services by GCL-Poly and its subsidiaries.
GTSolar’s TCS Production Solution includes all of the technology andbasic engineering services required to produce TCS, one of the primaryraw materials used to manufacture polysilicon. GT Solar’s DSS furnacesare used to melt polysilicon and grow multi-crystalline ingots, whichare utilized to produce solar wafers and, ultimately, solar cells.
“GCL-Polyis committed to providing high-quality and cost-competitive solar rawmaterials by adopting the best-in-class technologies and equipment,”said Zhu Gong Shan, executive director, chairman and chief executiveofficer of GCL-Poly.
“We chose to purchase the TCS ProductionSolution and DSS units from GT Solar because of their proven expertisein both polysilicon production and ingot crystallization. GT Solar’sTCS production solution should help to improve the quality and lowerthe cost of our polysilicon operations. Their expected timely deliveryof the DSS furnaces should help to ensure that our new ingot and waferproduction facility can be up-and-running in 2010.”
“We arepleased to welcome GCL-Poly as a new GT Solar customer for both ourpolysilicon and photovoltaic equipment businesses,” said Tom Gutierrez,GT Solar’s president and chief executive officer.
“Ourrelationship with GCL-Poly further strengthens our market position inChina and reinforces our role as a technology leader. We believe GTSolar’s DSS furnaces are the system of choice for leading PVmanufacturers around the world. And, our TCS Production TechnologySolution represents another win for this leading technology that shouldhelp to significantly lower the production cost of polysilicon.”
