Spire in $60M Deal With Uni-Chem
Spire Corp. has entered contracts with Uni-Chem Solar to provide 110 MW/year of turnkey PV lines and other deals that carry a price tag of ~$60M. Spire also announced a wholly owned subsidiary in Taiwan.
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor -- PV Society, 9/30/2009
Spire Corp. (Bedford, Mass.), which provides capital equipment for PV module manufacturing, has been broadening its connections in Asia, announcing new contracts with Korea's Uni-Chem and establishing a branch office in Taiwan.
Spire recently entered into two contracts to supply Uni-Chem Co. Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea) a 60 MW/year turnkey cell line and a 50 MW/year turnkey module line, as well as the associated utilities and infrastructure support. The equipment will be provided via Uni-Chem Solar, the company's U.S. entity.
Though still under negotiation, Uni-Chem has indicated its intent to lease space from the Spire Semiconductor facility in Hudson, N.H., to house the automated cell and module lines. The lines are expected to become operational in the second half of 2010.
Uni-Chem has also agreed to form a U.S. entity that will purchase 51% of Spire Solar Systems, Spire's system integration business, subject to definitive documentation. The total value of the contracts, including those relating to the investment in Spire Solar System, is ~$60M, according to Roger G. Little, Spire's chairman and CEO.
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| Roger G. Little, CEO, Spire |
"We are excited to have finalized the cell and module turnkey manufacturing agreements with Uni-Chem," Little said. "We believe their cell and module manufacturing will position them to participate in the U.S. solar market, which is anticipated to be one of the world's fastest growing."
Taiwan subsidiary
Spire also announced late last week that it has established a wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Taiwan LLC, in Zhubei City, Taiwan. The Taiwan office will serve as headquarters for equipment service operations, and will support customers throughout Asia. "Spire Taiwan will provide rapid customer communications and will enhance its growing position within the region," Little said.
"And of course, Taiwan itself is a major player in solar manufacturing, having recently established the Taiwan PV Standards Committee, and has initiated government incentives to stimulate the industry," Little added.
