JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., (Nasdaq:JASO) ("JA Solar" or the "Company"), one of the world's largest manufacturers of high-performance solar cells and solar power products, today announced that it has signed a cooperation agreement with TÜV SÜD, one of the world's leading providers of testing and certification services. Under the terms of the agreement, JA Solar and TÜV SÜD will cooperate on a range of product and system testing and certification initiatives, including the establishment of a TÜV SÜD-accredited testing facility at JA Solar's Fengxian facility in Shanghai. JA Solar is the first Chinese solar company to sign a strategic cooperative agreement with TÜV SÜD.
With TÜV SÜD's support, JA Solar will establish at its Fengxian facility a world-class testing center, which will be qualified to conduct IEC61215/61730 testing. As part of the process of establishing the center, TÜV SÜD has already awarded TMP (Testing at Manufacturers' Premises) certification to JA Solar's in-house laboratory, which is the sole TMP laboratory of TÜV SÜD worldwide to date in the photovoltaic industry. The TMP qualification will enable the Company to complete its product certification processes more quickly and will lead to improved cost efficiencies.
"This partnership strengthens JA Solar's position as a clear technology leader in our industry, a position that is recognized by our customers worldwide," commented Dr. Peng Fang, CEO of JA Solar. "I'm confident that this alliance with TÜV SÜD will drive our R&D efforts and enable JA Solar to continue setting new technological benchmarks for the solar sector in China."
Mr. Robert Puto, global PV director of TÜV SÜD, said: "We are delighted to commence this partnership with JA Solar, a company that shares similar values to our own. Like TÜV SÜD, JA Solar is committed to driving industry-wide best practices, and we look forward to working with them to achieve those goals."
The two parties will also cooperate on drafting standards for the construction and assessment of solar power projects to ensure that projects comply with international standards for safety and efficiency. JA Solar will also leverage TÜV SÜD's experience in energy conservation and green building to ensure that its raw materials sourcing, production and sales processes, and solar power projects construction meet international best practice standards and are consistent with JA Solar's long-standing commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen.