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02_SOLAR SILICON
02_SOLAR SILICON
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03_NEWS+DATES
03_NEWS+DATES
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04_INVESTOR RELATIONS
04_INVESTOR RELATIONS
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AT A GLANCE
AT A GLANCE
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FINANCIAL REPORTS
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PRESENTATIONS
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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COMPANY
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EQUITY STORY
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COMPANY STRUCTURE
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SOLAR SILICON
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MARKET
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PROCEDURE
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PRODUCTION RUSE
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PICTURE GALLERY RUSE
FILM ARC FURNACE M6
FILM ARC FURNACE M6
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NEWS + DATES
NEWS + DATES
NEWS
NEWS
IMPORTANT DATES
IMPORTANT DATES
03_
INVESTOR RELATIONS
INVESTOR RELATIONS
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OVERVIEW
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PRESENTATIONS
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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FAQ
04_
PRESS
PRESS
PRESS RELEASES
PRESS RELEASES
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PRESS REVIEW
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PRESS CONTACT
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IR-CONTACT
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Imprint | © 2007 Solarvalue AG
Imprint | © 2008 Solarvalue AG
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Solarvalue is on the right path
In the first half of 2008, Solarvalue intends to begin manufacturing high- efficiency solar grade silicon from metallurgical silicon. First samples are in progress. Although the production process used is not new, it has never been used for an industrial output of this scope. Experts and investors are therefore observing the project with great interest:
Mr Mott, how far along is Solarvalue with setting up production?
In 2007, we acquired a calcium carbide production plant in Ruse, Slovenia. We then began to adapt the plant for the production of high-purity solar grade silicon. The conversion of this factory is running at full steam. New members of the staff have been employed and trained. Solarvalue Proizvodnja d.d.’s management team is complete, and the production plant is under construction. At the moment we are all extremely busy, but things are slowly taking shape.
Why did you decide to set up production in Ruse?
The manufacturing plant in Ruse offered an excellent start-up point for what we wanted to do. We were able to take over the existing infrastructure, as well as parts of the available specialized staff who were already used to working together. We can therefore implement our plans much more quickly than we would have been able to if the project had been developed from scratch.
This intended form of solar grade silicon production in Ruse is currently unique. Does this kind of project produce surprises?
It is impossible to plan such innovative projects down to the last detail, so you have to be flexible if you decide to enter new territory. That is the appeal but also the challenge. During the design phase, many opportunities for improvement became apparent and we decided to take them. The Ruse project builds on a technological process that until now has never been used for an output of quite this scale. It is therefore inevitable that the construction phase will also result in new insights.
So decisions have to be made quickly?
Not putting new insights into practice and changing the planning accordingly would have been inexcusable. Changes can only be made at great cost once production has started up because making such changes always means downtime. We are therefore glad that we decided to make the changes before. As a result we now get a better infrastructure, a better production process and higher safety standards.
What exact improvements have you made to the infrastructure and the production process?
We managed to improve the infrastructure by making changes to the production machinery and by acquiring additional premises. This helps us streamline our processes and creates more warehousing space. We have made several improvements in the production process, particularly in production phases II and III. This is where the silicon is purified and prepared to meet the high standards of the solar industry.
Can you give us an example?
The ‘slagging’ glasses used in the purification process can be processed when warm and re-used repeatedly. This leads to a further increase in quality and a marked reduction in production cost. Moreover, this raises production safety standards as water quenching is no longer necessary. These may be small details, but they have to be carefully thought out as they have a great effect on production effectiveness and efficiency, as well as on product quality.
What is the planned production volume?
We will be producing solar grade silicon samples within the next few weeks. Afterwards, the final fine tuning of the production process will be carried out. Production will then start up within the first half of 2008. This gradual “ramp- up” will minimize risk and keep the rejection quota low. We intend to produce several thousand metric tons of high-purity solar grade silicon in 2008.
“Long-term benefits are more important than short-term success” is your motto. How do your investors view this?
Most of our investors are either institutional or have long-term plans. We have encountered a lot of support for our decision to focus on long-term benefits, instead of aiming towards quick short-term success. Investment in our company has become more attractive, our business plan and return prospects have improved, and our production plant efficiency has risen thanks to the changes we have made. At the beginning of the year, our investors didn’t have much more to go on than our visions. In the meantime, however, these visions have been put into concrete form, and now the start of production is in sight.
In the first half of 2008, Solarvalue intends to begin manufacturing high- efficiency solar grade silicon from metallurgical silicon. First samples are in progress. Although the production process used is not new, it has never been used for an industrial output of this scope. Experts and investors are therefore observing the project with great interest:
Mr Mott, how far along is Solarvalue with setting up production?
In 2007, we acquired a calcium carbide production plant in Ruse, Slovenia. We then began to adapt the plant for the production of high-purity solar grade silicon. The conversion of this factory is running at full steam. New members of the staff have been employed and trained. Solarvalue Proizvodnja d.d.’s management team is complete, and the production plant is under construction. At the moment we are all extremely busy, but things are slowly taking shape.
Why did you decide to set up production in Ruse?
The manufacturing plant in Ruse offered an excellent start-up point for what we wanted to do. We were able to take over the existing infrastructure, as well as parts of the available specialized staff who were already used to working together. We can therefore implement our plans much more quickly than we would have been able to if the project had been developed from scratch.
This intended form of solar grade silicon production in Ruse is currently unique. Does this kind of project produce surprises?
It is impossible to plan such innovative projects down to the last detail, so you have to be flexible if you decide to enter new territory. That is the appeal but also the challenge. During the design phase, many opportunities for improvement became apparent and we decided to take them. The Ruse project builds on a technological process that until now has never been used for an output of quite this scale. It is therefore inevitable that the construction phase will also result in new insights.
So decisions have to be made quickly?
Not putting new insights into practice and changing the planning accordingly would have been inexcusable. Changes can only be made at great cost once production has started up because making such changes always means downtime. We are therefore glad that we decided to make the changes before. As a result we now get a better infrastructure, a better production process and higher safety standards.
What exact improvements have you made to the infrastructure and the production process?
We managed to improve the infrastructure by making changes to the production machinery and by acquiring additional premises. This helps us streamline our processes and creates more warehousing space. We have made several improvements in the production process, particularly in production phases II and III. This is where the silicon is purified and prepared to meet the high standards of the solar industry.
Can you give us an example?
The ‘slagging’ glasses used in the purification process can be processed when warm and re-used repeatedly. This leads to a further increase in quality and a marked reduction in production cost. Moreover, this raises production safety standards as water quenching is no longer necessary. These may be small details, but they have to be carefully thought out as they have a great effect on production effectiveness and efficiency, as well as on product quality.
What is the planned production volume?
We will be producing solar grade silicon samples within the next few weeks. Afterwards, the final fine tuning of the production process will be carried out. Production will then start up within the first half of 2008. This gradual “ramp- up” will minimize risk and keep the rejection quota low. We intend to produce several thousand metric tons of high-purity solar grade silicon in 2008.
“Long-term benefits are more important than short-term success” is your motto. How do your investors view this?
Most of our investors are either institutional or have long-term plans. We have encountered a lot of support for our decision to focus on long-term benefits, instead of aiming towards quick short-term success. Investment in our company has become more attractive, our business plan and return prospects have improved, and our production plant efficiency has risen thanks to the changes we have made. At the beginning of the year, our investors didn’t have much more to go on than our visions. In the meantime, however, these visions have been put into concrete form, and now the start of production is in sight.