Hemlock plans vertical integration of polysilicon production with latest purchase

US firm Hemlock Semiconductor, which provides polycrystalline silicon and other silicon-based products to the solar industry, last week announced the purchase from chemicals company DuPont de Nemours Inc of a business that makes the main raw material it uses.

DuPont's business produces trichlorosilane, necessary for the production of polysilicon, which it supplies to the semiconductor and solar sectors. The business is located in Midland, Michigan, close to Hemlock's headquarters, allowing the company to exercise better control of supply and significantly lower costs.

"[The acquisition] will help accelerate our growth in the solar sector since we’ll be able to offer ultra-pure polysilicon of exceptional quality that reduces the carbon footprint of producing solar panels at a substantially lower cost," CEO Mark Bassett commented.

The deal is part of Hemlock's efforts aimed at improving the energy efficiency and energy management of its operations. Thanks to previously adopted measures, the company boasts very low embodied greenhouse gas emissions in the polysilicon it produces, which is used to make ultra-low-carbon solar panels with up to 50% less embodied carbon than typical solar, according to the statement.

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