German PV equipment Q1 sales fall

According to latest figures, the German makers sales of the photovoltaic components, equipment, & machinery went down by 54 per cent in 1st quarter (or Q1) of the year 2012. Sales share of the customers in Asia too is declining.

Germany’s Association of Engineering, Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA), said that photovoltaic industry of supply is suffering from the weak activity of investment in wafer, cell & module sectors of manufacturing. Especially, the equipment of cell production was less in the demand at start of 2012.

How ever, while the sales are on decline, Germany had managed to claim more than forty per cent of the share of photovoltaic international component, equipment and machinery market in the Q1 of 2012. Florian Wessendorf, the project manager @ VDMA photovoltaic equipment said that this is primarily was owed to the continued innovation & strong focus for the photovoltaic cost efficient production. The label of ‘Made in Germany’ represents highest standards in terms of quality & cost-effective solutions.

As said before, the customers of Asia were reported for being “back bone” of the generated sales in the time of Q1. In spite of this, the sale share had dropped by around 60 per cent as compared to same period in the year 2011. Especially picking up Asian slack is Middle East North Africa or MENA, having majority of the investments reportedly through this region for Q1.

Peter Fath, the CTO at centrotherm photovoltaics AG & chair man of board @ photovoltaic VDMA equipment said that apart from continuous improvement at production processes & specific minimization of cost, strategic development for new markets is now agenda for the German photovoltaic manufacturers of equipment. For the photovoltaic production, countries of MENA region, Brazil, India, & South Africa are pretty interesting. He also added that the markets of Asia & Europe too can’t be ignored.

German PV equipment Q1 sales fall

Different segments of photovoltaic too are shifting for importance. VDMA said that although the equipment for segment of cell is still leader along with share of around 56 percent of the sales, it fell from the past figures of about 70 per cent. Mean while, more than eighteen per cent of the total sales had accounted for the poly silicon, wafer and ingot production, & thin film & crystalline segments had achieved good thirteen per cent, respectively.

VDMA went ahead to say that this situation has now eased a little on order side. As compared to 2011Q4, we saw increase of around 21 per cent of Q1 in 2012. The orders are dominated by the major projects of individuals, meaning that situation of order for the German suppliers of photovoltaic is pretty uneven. Fath had concluded on positive note that in spite of the enormous current challenges for this industry, he is pretty confident. Currently, 1 has to do the home work  for solving  conflicts amongst market short-term slow down & long-term prospects of growth.

In the related news, & serving for high lighting situation that is some what dire, the German equipment supplier of photovoltaic, centrotherm, had announced it filed for the Chapter 11 of insolvency protection & self-administration, because of current situation of solar market.