Heraeus Launches Photovoltaic Regional R&D Centers in Greater China

Shanghai, April 28, 2015

Heraeus, the leading technology group, announced the launch of its photovoltaic regional R&D Centers in Mainland China and Taiwan on the occasion of SNEC, the world’s largest photovoltaic exposition, with an aim of enhancing its product innovation abilities and further exploring the photovoltaic market. It is another important measure taken by Heraeus Group for the strengthening of development in the Greater China market and for realizing its global “Vision 2020”, following the establishment of its Greater China Regional Headquarters in 2014 and also the headquarters of Heraeus Photovoltaic Global Business Unit (GBU) located in the city early this year.

“With the regional photovoltaic R&D Centers’ opening, we can rapidly respond to the local photovoltaic customers’ needs, providing them with more customized products and shortening the delivery time,” said Andreas Liebheit, Head of Heraeus Photovoltaics Global Business Unit. “We will strive further in R&D areas to secure leadership in R&D in this industry, especially making breakthroughs in improving efficiency and reliability of the products and lowering their cost, and offering more value-added solutions to our customers in the future.”

Heraeus regional photovoltaic R&D Centers, located in Shanghai and Taipei, employ several dozen staff and have plans to recruit more photovoltaic professionals. The new centers will focus on the research, application and development of front-side and back-side metallization pastes. In the future, the centers in China will work with Heraeus photovoltaic global R&D center in the U.S. to provide better service for global customers.

As an industry-leading developer and manufacturer of metallization pastes for the photovoltaic industry for over 40 years, Heraeus has built a solid reputation in innovation, extensive research and new product development in thick film technologies through cooperation with customers, suppliers and scientific research institutions. In recent years, building on its strength, Heraeus has researched, developed and applied its innovative technology to offer advanced metallization pastes for solar cell applications. For example, the Heraeus SOL Series of silver paste is specially formulated to provide higher efficiencies and wider temperature processing windows, resulting in better yields and higher output for cell manufacturers.

Some industry analysts note that in the past two years of China’s photovoltaic industry, which had been troubled for several years, has shown resurgent signs and the newly-added installed capacity has reached 10 GW (million KW). There is also good news in industry policy. According to the blueprints issued by the National Energy Bureau and the Ministry of industry and information technology, this year’s capacity of the new photovoltaic power stations in the whole country will total 17.8 GW (million KW), which is expected to make China the country with the largest installed capacity in the world.

“For the Heraeus photovoltaic business, China has been one of our most important markets for many years, and we are very optimistic about this market’s prospects,” added Andreas Liebheit, Head of Heraeus Photovoltaics Global Business Unit. “Moreover, today 70% of worldwide demand on cells is served out of mainland China, while this year the total market is assumed to be in production of 55 GW and China contributes with 38.5 GW.”

In fact, the photovoltaic business reflects the increasing importance of Greater China in Heraeus Group. In the region, Heraeus has more than 2,500 employees in 20 locations across the region, providing high value solutions for its customers and serving a number of markets: chemical and metals, energy and the environment, communications and electronics, mobility, and industrial applications. For example, Heraeus offers fluorinated precious metal catalysts and high-quality sensors for the steel industry. Also, the group’s new structure from January 2015, located the headquarters of Heraeus Photovoltaic Global Business Unit (GBU) in Shanghai, which indicates the importance the group has attached to the Greater China market.

“With Greater China being one of our top 3 markets for Heraeus Group, we have been present and active in the market for more than 40 year,” remarked Dr. Richard Zhang, President of Heraeus Greater China Regional Headquarters. “Heraeus’ development in the region will create opportunities and benefits for our customers including those from the photovoltaic sector, partners, employees and community.”

According to Vision 2020 set out by Heraeus Group in 2014, the company aims to be a market leader everywhere it does business (TOP 3). Therefore, Heraeus is gearing up to advance its development in the Greater China region with increased investment in new technology, facilities and people, and with closer collaboration between Heraeus companies in the region through the regional headquarters as a platform.

Heraeus, the technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a leading international family-owned company formed in 1851. We create high-value solutions for our customers, strengthening their competitiveness for the long term. Our activities focus on a number of markets: chemical and metals, energy and the environment, communications and electronics, health, mobility, and industrial applications. In fiscal year 2013, Heraeus achieved product revenue of €3.6 billion and precious metals trading revenue of €13.5 billion. With some 12,500 employees in over 110 subsidiaries worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.

Heraeus has been present and active in the Greater China region, one of its top 3 markets, for more than 40 years. Today we have more than 2,500 employees in 20 locations across the region.