Centrosolar Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. Alexander Kirsch said “Over the past few weeks the media have been claiming that the German solar industry is being elbowed out by competitors from China. We see no sign whatsoever of that happening in our core market for roof systems. Our plant in Wismar has been operating at full capacity since June and capacity was increased from 70 to 110 MWp in August; 220 new employees have been recruited since the new site opened mid 2008 – and we should add that our German manufacturing operations are profitable. We haven’t entered into any major long-term agreements for solar cells, so we are now able to benefit from the lower prices for high quality solar cells at the procurement end.”
Kirsch further continued “There is consequently no difference at cost level; merely a quality difference – reflected in the price difference – between German quality modules and cheap products from Asia. Our end customers, the owners of homes or commercial properties, are not prepared to take risks with their roofs and want guaranteed quality at a good price. We offer precisely that.”
