Meyer Burger

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Meyer Burger Technology AG

logo
legal form Corporation
ISIN CH0108503795
founding 1953/1999 (as a holding company)
Seat Thun BE, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland 
management
Number of employees 1267
sales 407 million CHF
Branch Photovoltaics
Website www.meyerburger.com
As of December 31, 2018

Meyer Burger , based in Thun ( Switzerland ), is a global mechanical engineering company that is primarily known for its production systems in the photovoltaic industry. Meyer Burger develops and produces systems with which solar cells can be manufactured and electrically connected for use in the solar module . The focus is on heterojunction technology (HJT) and the exclusive SmartWire Connection Technology (SWCT TM ). High-precision measuring systems for silicon wafers, solar cells and modules are also offered. From spring 2021, the company would like to produce solar cells and solar modules itself at two locations in Germany.

In other business areas and through subsidiaries, Meyer Burger also develops and sells industrial inkjet printing, plasma and microwave systems, primarily for the semiconductor and optics industries.

history

The company was founded in 1953 as a manufacturer of watch stone processing machines and subsequently specialized in special sawing machines. In 1999, the company established a holding structure with the founding of Meyer & Burger Holding AG in Zug, and in the same year it launched the first band saw for the solar industry.

In the course of the booming solar industry, the company began opening up the Russian, Asian and American markets in 2003 and pushed ahead with its expansion with the establishment of subsidiaries in China and Japan.

In 2006 the group was renamed from Meyer & Burger Holding AG to Meyer Burger Technology AG and the group headquarters moved to Baar . In November 2007 the company went public . In 2012, with the move to the new building, the Group's headquarters were relocated to Thun.

Between 2010 and 2012, the group of companies was expanded significantly through various company takeovers in order to be able to cover the entire value chain (wafer - cell - module) in photovoltaic production with its own production machines. The most important products were diamond wire saws for cutting ultra-thin silicon wafers, coating systems to turn the wafers into functioning solar cells, and systems for the production of complete solar modules.

In the meantime, the company structure has been adjusted and the focus on the areas of solar cell production and connection, i.e. H. on the heterojunction cell coating and the SmartWire Connection Technology (SWCT TM ) for the cell connection. In this context, the entire "sawing and cutting technology" division was sold to Precision Surfacing Solutions in May 2019. While the company headquarters are still in Thun, Meyer Burger operates its main production site in Hohenstein-Ernstthal ( Germany ), where Meyer Burger took over the majority in Roth & Rau in 2011 .

After a public dispute between the Board of Directors and the largest shareholders, including Sentis Capital and Elysium Capital, as a result of which the two shareholder representatives Mark Kerekes and Urs Fähndrich were elected to the top management body, the company announced an adjustment of the corporate strategy in June 2020 . Meyer Burger announced that it intends to act as a manufacturer of solar cells and solar modules in the future. The production halls in Freiberg in Saxony and Bitterfeld-Wolfen in Saxony-Anhalt should initially start with an annual production capacity of 400 megawatts. By 2022, the capacity will be expanded to 1.4 gigawatts of cell and 0.8 gigawatts of module production. In the long term, a production volume of 5 gigawatts per year is targeted. Meyer Burger manufactures the production facilities in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. The creation of up to 3,000 jobs is planned.

Company structure

In 2010 Meyer Burger merged with the previously independent company 3S Industries . The former competence centers of 3S Industries 3S Modultec , 3S Photovoltaics, Somont and Pasan were and are business areas of Meyer Burger ever since.

Meyer Burger (Germany) GmbH

Roth & Rau AG was renamed Meyer Burger (Germany) in 2014 . The company develops and produces various systems and machines for surface treatment in the photovoltaic industry and was significantly involved in the industrialization of the so-called PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact) technology. The company also develops and builds mass production systems for the manufacture of highly efficient solar cells with heterojunction technology (HJT).

Pasan SA

As part of the merger with 3S Industries, Pasan became part of Meyer Burger in 2010. The company's focus is on the development and manufacture of test and measurement systems for solar cells and modules. These include solar simulators that are used by international certification bodies such as TÜV and numerous cell and module manufacturers. The company is based in Neuchâtel ( Neuchâtel ), Switzerland.

Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd.

In 2019 Meyer Burger became the largest shareholder in Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd., a spin-off from Oxford University in the field of heterojunction and perovskite technology.

Former divisions

Meyer Burger AG (MB Wafertec)

With the development and manufacture of cutting and sawing systems for the solar industry, Meyer Burger experienced rapid growth from 2000 onwards. The cutting technology with diamond wire used in the PV industry today was primarily developed by Meyer Burger and industrialized for mass production. The entire “sawing and cutting technology” division was sold to Precision Surfacing Solutions (PSS) at the end of April 2019 for CHF 50 million .

3S Solar Plus AG

The company 3S Industries with u. a. the areas 3S Modultec and 3S Photovoltaics merged in 2010 with Meyer Burger and was initially a division 3S Photovoltaics continued. The two brands 3S Modultec and Solar Building Technologies were subsequently created . This area developed and produced building-integrated solar systems . The frameless solar modules from the MegaSlate brand contain solar cells between two layers of glass. As a result, the modules have the same properties as laminated safety glass and can be used directly as a building envelope, thus replacing roofing with roof tiles .

The division was later integrated into Meyer Burger's “Energy Systems” business unit and in 2018 it was outsourced to the separate company 3S Solar Plus AG and sold.

AIS Automation Dresden GmbH

AIS Automation Dresden GmbH also belonged to the Meyer Burger Group until 2019. As a system and software company, AIS has been developing software solutions in the field of automation technology and information technology since 1990. It acts as a full service provider from the conception to the implementation and installation of the system on site. The business areas include plant and system controls, factory automation, system integration and rail technology.

At the end of 2019 the sale to S&T AG in Linz ( Austria ) took place

Meyer Burger (Netherlands) BV

In the course of the takeover of Roth & Rau AG in 2011, Roth & Rau Netherlands BV (formerly OTB Solar) in Eindhoven ( Netherlands ), which has been part of the Roth & Rau Group since 2010, also became part of the Meyer Burger Group. Systems for industrial inkjet printing are developed under the PiXDRO brand. The system size ranges from compact printers for the research sector to mass production systems for various applications and industries (e.g. printed electronics, displays, OLED, sensors, circuit boards, semiconductor assembly, etching techniques, photovoltaics, optics, life science).

The division was sold in December 2019.

Muegge GmbH

In the course of the takeover of Roth & Rau AG in 2011, Muegge GmbH in Reichelsheim (Germany), which has belonged to the Roth & Rau Group since 2008, also became part of the Meyer Burger Group. Muegge is a global supplier of industrial microwaves and plasma systems. The portfolio includes microwave generators and components as well as plasma systems for a wide variety of applications in different sectors such as the semiconductor industry, OLED and MEMS production and medical technology.

The subsidiary was sold for around 24 million Swiss francs in August 2020 and posted a book profit of around 4 million Swiss francs.

Awards

  • 2011: Solar Industry Award 2011 in the “PV Process Improvement” category for Somont GmbH, a group company of Meyer Burger Technology AG.
  • 2011: Swiss Solar Prize in the “Personalities and Institutions” category.
  • 2012: Intersolar AWARD in the "PV Production Technology" category for the SpotLIGHT 1sec cell tester from Pasan AG.
  • 2012: Solar Industry Award in the “Photovoltaic Tool” category for the DragonBack measurement method for highly efficient cells from Pasan AG.
  • 2014: IDTechEx Printed Electronic Award for the "Best technical development in the manufacturing sector" from Roth & Rau BV (Netherlands).
  • 2015: Solar Industry Award in the “Industry Development Award” category for PCBTOUCH contacting solution for solar cells.
  • 2016: Technology Highlight Award for the DW288 Series 3 diamond wire saw solution by the photovoltaic specialist magazine "PV Magazine"
  • 2016: Solar + Power Award for the DW288 Series 3 diamond wire saw solution with the Diamond Wire Management System (DWMS).
  • 2016: Solar Visualized in Europe Award from the European solar industry association Solar Power Europe.
  • 2018: Solar + Power Award for the FABiA Cell Deposition Equipment coating system.
  • 2019: pv magazine AWARD in the “Photovoltaic Tool” category for the CAiA tool, a platform for the industrialized production of solar cells with passivated contact technology for n- and p-wafers, with which cells with efficiencies of around 23% can be produced.

additional

Hambach open-cast lignite mine

In May 2020, Gunter Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger, suggested thinking about a gigantic solar park in the Hambach opencast mine . This would generate electricity with an output of around ten gigawatts, which roughly corresponds to the output of the coal-fired power plants Weisweiler, Neurath, Niederaussem and Frimmersdorf, which are now dependent on the opencast mines. Considerations for a later use of the gigantic area with an area of ​​50 square kilometers include the flooding to the lake landscape.

The idea received support from the physicist Uwe Rau , RWE Power AG and the Minister for Economics, Innovation, Digitization and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia, Andreas Pinkwart .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Meyer Burger share - GUV, other information. In: finanzen.net. Retrieved October 24, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Meyer Burger Technology AG: Meyer Burger: All products. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Meyer Burger: Sells wafer business to Precision Surfacing Solutions, which Thun continues to operate as a location (ee-news.ch). Retrieved August 29, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Swiss solar supplier Meyer Burger takes over Roth & Rau . In: Tages-Anzeiger . ISSN  1422-9994 ( tagesanzeiger.ch [accessed on August 29, 2020]).
  5. ↑ Brändle and Lütolf leave Meyer Burger. Retrieved August 29, 2020 .
  6. ^ Meyer Burger: Kerekes and Fähndrich are elected to the board of directors. Retrieved August 29, 2020 .
  7. ↑ Meyer Burger managers disembark . In: The Bund . ISSN  0774-6156 ( derbund.ch [accessed on August 29, 2020]).
  8. ↑ Meyer Burger Technology: Ordinary General Meeting 2020 - Shareholders approve all proposals of the Board of Directors (ee-news.ch). Retrieved August 29, 2020 .
  9. ↑ Meyer Burger Technology AG wants to transform itself from a machine supplier to a technologically leading manufacturer of solar cells and solar modules. Capital increase planned with gross proceeds of CHF 165 million. Retrieved July 12, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Mechanical engineering company Meyer Burger plans solar module production in Freiberg. In: MDR.de . Retrieved July 12, 2020 .
  11. ^ Website Meyer Burger - Pasan Neuchâtel. In: meyerburger.com. Retrieved July 6, 2016 .
  12. ↑ Imprint, About us, Terms and Conditions, Privacy and Cookies Policy: Meyer Burger Major Shareholder of Oxford PV | Taiyang News. Retrieved June 21, 2020 (American English).
  13. ↑ Oxford PV to collaborate with Meyer Burger | Oxford Photovoltaics. Retrieved June 21, 2020 .
  14. ↑ Meyer Burger sells wafer business to Precision Surfacing Solutions , media release dated February 7, 2019
  15. ↑ Meyer Burger completes sale of wafer business to Precision Surfacing Solutions , media release of April 30, 2019
  16. ^ History on the website of 3S Solar Plus AG, accessed on October 24, 2019
  17. ^ Official website of AIS Automation Dresden GmbH. In: ais-automation.com. Retrieved July 6, 2016 .
  18. ↑ Completion of the sale of the Meyer Burger software business to S&T AG for CHF 14 million in cash. In: meyerburger.com. Retrieved July 6, 2016 .
  19. ↑ Finance and Economy: Meyer Burger sells Dutch business. Retrieved May 3, 2020 .
  20. ↑ Meyer Burger sells manufacturer of microwave and plasma systems Muegge GmbH. Retrieved August 17, 2020 .
  21. ↑ Somont: Solar Industry Award 2011 for the innovative Consol soldering table (ee-news.ch). Retrieved May 17, 2020 .
  22. ↑ Swiss Solar Prize 2011: The winners | Solar Agency Switzerland. Retrieved May 17, 2020 .
  23. ↑ Swiss solar company Meyer Burger receives the "Intersolar Award 2012". Retrieved May 17, 2020 .
  24. ↑ moneycab: DragonBack Messtechnik von Pasan receives Solar Industry Award 2012. September 27, 2012, accessed on May 17, 2020 .
  25. ↑ Meyer Burger: Award for the best technical development in the manufacturing sector (ee-news.ch). Retrieved May 17, 2020 .
  26. ↑ Pcbtouch Cell Contacting Solution From Meyer Burger Wins The Solar Industry Award 2015 In The Category Industry Development Award - PES - Power & Energy Solutions. Retrieved May 17, 2020 (American English).
  27. ↑ Meyer Burger, Eternal Sun named as 2016 Technology Highlights award winners. Retrieved May 17, 2020 (American English).
  28. ↑ Meyer Burger: DW288 Series 3 diamond wire saw solution received Solar + Power Award 2016 (ee-news.ch). Retrieved May 17, 2020 .
  29. ↑ Award for Meyer Burger . In: Berner Zeitung . ISSN  1424-1021 ( bernerzeitung.ch [accessed on May 17, 2020]).
  30. ↑ Solar + Power Awards 2018. Accessed May 17, 2020 .
  31. ↑ pv magazine: pv magazine Awards. Retrieved May 17, 2020 (American English).
  32. ↑ Radio Rur: Mega solar park in the open pit? Retrieved May 11, 2020 .
  33. ↑ Hambach opencast mine: soon a 10 GW floating solar park? In: CleanThinking.de. May 6, 2020, accessed May 11, 2020 .
  34. ↑ Energy researcher Rau: Solar park in Hambach opencast mine possible. In: CleanThinking.de. May 11, 2020, accessed May 11, 2020 .
  35. ^ Jörg Abels: Hambach opencast mine: Sophienhöhe remains untouched. Retrieved May 22, 2020 .
  36. ↑ Radio Rur: Think of the younger generation. Retrieved May 28, 2020 .