Heraeus Photovoltaics announced a plan to manufacture front-side metallization paste in Taipei, Taiwan as part of its continuing expansion in the region. Manufacturing is expected to begin by November 2015.
The expansion to add front-side metallization production to the company's regional operations is in response to the growing role Taiwan is playing for Heraeus Photovoltaics' growth strategy. The move will complement the local sales, technical staff and back-side paste production that currently exists in Taiwan. The expanded presence in Taiwan will enable Heraeus to provide a more comprehensive and integrated approach to supporting customers in Taiwan and across the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Andreas Liebheit, President of Heraeus Photovoltaics, superior supply chain management to customers is a driving force to expand capabilities in Taiwan. "In order for us to offer customization and shorten lead times for customers, it is vital to have a strong operational presence where our customers are, and Taiwan has grown to become an important market for us," he said.
By adding a stronger supply chain in Taiwan, the company believes that the local front-side metallization production capabilities will enable them to collaborate with their customers more closely as well as raise the bar in terms of the responsive service, states Pete Horan, Vice President Operations of Heraeus Photovoltaics.
The start of local production of front-side paste in Taiwan by Heraeus is the next step in the company's customer-orientated localization strategy for the market. In 2012 the Taiwan site started manufacturing back-side paste. In 2014 the company opened local manufacturing in China, complemented by the installation of two Product Modification labs (PML) in China and Taiwan in early 2015.