EANS-News: centrotherm photovoltaics expands production area at Blaubeuren site by one third to around 31,000 square meters

• Production output boosted to over 100 systems per month
• Order levels remain high for key solar equipment
• Clear commitment to Germany as a production location

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Company Information

Subtitle: • Production output boosted to over 100 systems per
month • Order levels remain high for key solar equipment •
Clear commitment to Germany as a production location

Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - March 17, 2011 centrotherm photovoltaics AG
is on course for expansion, committing investments at its Blaubeuren
headquarters in view of high order volumes. In the coming months the
production area at the southern German site, currently 23,000 square
meters, will be extended by a third to comprise a total of some
31,000 square meters. The investment volume is in the double-digit
million euro range. At Blaubeuren, the world's leading technology and
equipment provider in the photovoltaics sector manufactures key
equipment for the production of solar cells. This includes tube
furnaces for phosphorous diffusion (POCl3) and batch-type systems for
anti-reflective coating (PECVD systems) of solar cells, as well as
firing furnaces in which front and rear contacts are burnt onto the
solar wafer at high temperatures.

"By expanding our production area we will be able to produce over 100
systems a month, thereby meeting the high level of customer demand
for our key equipment - both promptly and in excellent quality", said
Dr. Dirk Stenkamp, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Board Member of
centrotherm photovoltaics AG. "At the same time, this expansion in
Blaubeuren is a clear commitment to Germany as a manufacturing
location, as well as the region of Baden-Württemberg." The investment
will also create new training and job vacancies at centrotherm
photovoltaics as well as among its suppliers.

Over the last months, production capacity has already been
significantly expanded by means of optimized structures and
processes. Manufacturing output already tripled in 2010 to a level of
60 systems per month. With new record order levels of more than one
billion euros (1,049.8 million euros) in fiscal 2010, centrotherm
photovoltaics has equipment orders on hand to take the company well
into 2011.

About centrotherm photovoltaics AG centrotherm photovoltaics AG,
which is based at Blaubeuren, is the world's leading technology and
equipment provider for the photovoltaics sector. The company equips
well-known solar companies and new sector entrants with turnkey
production lines and single equipment to manufacture silicon,
crystalline solar cells and thin film modules. As a consequence, the
Group possesses a broad and well-founded technological basis, as well
as key equipment at practically all steps of the photovoltaics value
chain. centrotherm photovoltaics guarantees its customers important
performance parameters such as production capacity, efficiencies, and
completion deadlines. The Group employs over 1,400 staff members, and
operates in Europe, Asia and the USA. centrotherm photovoltaics
achieved revenue in the 2010 financial year of EUR 624.2 million,
EBIT of EUR 75.4 million, according to provisional figures. The
company is listed in the TecDAX index on the Frankfurt Stock
Exchange.

Contact:
Saskia Feil
Senior Manager Investor & Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8890
E-mail: saskia.feil@centrotherm.de

Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8898
E-mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel.: 07344 - 918-8898
E-Mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

Branche: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
WKN: A0JMMN
Index: TecDAX
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
München / free trade