M+W Zander return to failed site for Solar overhaul
M+W Zander FE has been commissioned by the Conergy Group to plan and construct a fully integrated production facility for photovoltaic cells and modules in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. The volume of the General Contractor order is in the upper double-digit million euro range and also includes hook-up of machinery assets to the supply infrastructure.
M+W Zander was awarded the order primarily because the company was in a position to submit an innovative and logical concept for converting the existing building and a timetable for completion on schedule. M&W were involved in the initial building of the site when it was set to be a semiconductor manufacturing site. This enterprise failed with M+W Zander losing much of their investment.
The first Conergy solar modules are scheduled to roll off the production line in the second half of 2007. By the year 2008, production capacity will stand at 300 megawatts for solar wafers, 275 megawatts for solar cells and 250 megawatts for solar modules.
The new Conergy production facility will be constructed in the former chip factory in Frankfurt (Oder). The integrated wafer, cell and module production facility will be the most advanced factory for solar modules in the world. An innovative configuration of production lines in a single hall will cut the length of transportation routes. At the same time, the level of automation of the production lines delivers significantly higher production output.
"In view of the extremely dynamic market, it is particularly important for the solar sector to be able to meet market demand with state-of-the-art production facilities. The large number of our specific turn-key projects for the photovoltaic industry demonstrates that we can provide dependable support in meeting the ‘time factor' and keeping within budget," comments Robert Gattereder, Managing Director of M+W Zander FE. Gattereder continued: "The future, fully integrated Conergy factory also highlights the fact that scaling the size of the factory combined with new, intelligent logistics in production offer significant opportunities for savings."
