EANS-News: centrotherm photovoltaics AG enjoys great popularity with shareholders

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Company Information

Subtitle: • More than 300 shareholders attend Annual General
Meeting in Ulm • Management Board explains technology leadership,
promising business areas and new markets • Distribution of total
dividend of EUR 0.70 per share approved

Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - August 19, 2011 - The AGM of centrotherm
photovoltaics AG held on August 18 at the Donauhalle in Ulm was
exceptionally well received: more than 300 shareholders were present,
marking a 50 percent increase over the previous year's event, which
was also well attended. The shareholders of centrotherm photovoltaics
AG approved with a clear vote the management's corporate strategy at
the Shareholders' General Meeting. The Management and Supervisory
boards of the globally leading technology and equipment provider to
the photovoltaic sector were discharged for the 2010 financial year
with a high majority.

Shareholders approved very highly of the Management and Supervisory
boards' proposal to pay the first dividend in the company's history
in view of the good earnings trends in the 2010 financial year.
Consequently, the Shareholders' General Meeting passed a resolution
to distribute a dividend of EUR 0.50 and a one-off bonus dividend of
EUR 0.20 per ordinary share. "We are enabling our shareholders to
participate in the company's success, and we are aiming for a
long-term dividend policy. This means that we are also planning to
distribute a dividend for the coming financial years depending on our
corporate development," was how Robert M. Hartung, CEO and Management
Board Spokesman of centrotherm photovoltaics AG, commented to
shareholders at their general meeting held in Ulm.

The CFO of centrotherm photovoltaics AG, Dr. Thomas Riegler,
presented a summary of an extremely successful year with significant
revenue growth of more than 20 percent, a doubling of EBIT operating
earnings, and an outright order boom entailing a new order inflow of
more than EUR 1 billion. As a technology leader, centrotherm
photovoltaics spent a total of EUR 42.4 million on research and
development in 2010 - almost 50 percent more than in the previous
year.

The company, which is listed in the TecDAX index, has prepared well
in both structural and technological terms for the demanding market
that will characterize coming months. The South German company
identifies tangible demand for high-performance cells and modules
among manufacturers. To this end, they require the latest technology
in order to achieve high efficiencies, and to extend their
cost-leadership. This is feeding through to corresponding demand for
centrotherm photovoltaics' upgrade packages to retrofit existing
production lines. To this is added additional business from
exchanging old systems with the most up-to-date equipment. "With our
technological strength and our systems along the solar value chain,
we are enabling our customers to position themselves as the best
manufacturers in a highly competitive market," Hartung went on to
add.

Along with the Asian market, where centrotherm photovoltaics commands
high market shares in China, Taiwan and India, the South German
company identifies interesting future markets in the Arab region, as
well as South America and North Africa, for example. In addition,
customers are currently focusing to greater extent on integrated
production, and are positioning themselves along the entire value
chain. An example of this is the major order received in spring of
this year for the construction of an almost fully integrated solar
module factory in Algeria. This factory covers the entire value
creation, ranging from ingot production and solar cell manufacturing
through to solar module end-products. The high degree of integration
in the production of solar wafers, cells and modules allows low
manufacturing costs to be achieved, and thereby high-quality modules
at competitive prices.

Note: The results of all agenda items are available on the Investor
Relations section of company´s website at www.centrotherm.de.

About centrotherm photovoltaics AG centrotherm photovoltaics AG,
which is based at Blaubeuren, Germany, 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, ingots and bricks, crystalline solar cells and modules, 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 around 1,900 staff, and operates
globally 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. 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

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

end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Johannes-Schmid-Str. 8
D-89143 Blaubeuren
phone: +49 (0) 7344 91880
mail: info@centrotherm.de
WWW: http://www.centrotherm.de
sector: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
indexes: TecDAX
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, free trade: Berlin,
Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, München
language: English