German Singulus wins EUR 7m solar order

Jul 30, 2012 - German machinery maker Singulus (ETR:SNG) said today it received an order in the solar segment worth over EUR 7 million (USD 8.6m) from long-term partner Photovoltaic Technology Intellectual Property (PTIP), a spin-off of the University of Johannesburg.

Singulus is to supply machines for vacuum coating, selenization as well as wet-chemical processes. Those will help PTIP expand its activities in the development of efficient copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film solar modules -- the field in which it has been collaborating with the German firm for several years.

PTIP already successfully operates research machines like the ordered ones at its new research and development facility in Techno Park, near Stellenbosch in South Africa.

PTIP wants to further expand its Stellenbosch site and add a development and laboratory line for CIGS modules in the 1200 x 600 mm size. The European Investment Bank has made a commitment to support the project with EUR 40 million. Those plans are backed by South African state-owned development finance institution Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an initiative of the local Department of Science and Technology.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.229)

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