SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES : Signs Two Precontracts for the Delivery of Production Machines for CIGS Thin-Film Modules

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Signs Two Precontracts for the Delivery of Production Machines for CIGS Thin-Film Modules

• Total volume in excess of € 110 million
• Largest contract in the company's history
• CIGS factory equipped with SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES machines

Kahl am Main, May 24, 2016 - The SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES) today signed two precontracts with a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned enterprise China National Building Materials (CNBM) for the delivery of production machines for CIGS solar modules.

The two precontracts outline the fundament technologic and economic framework, which will be finalized in six detailed and then legally-binding delivery contracts in the next couple of days. Following today's agreed letters of intent, the signing of these contracts is also expected in the coming days in the course of the Chinese photovoltaics fair SNEC in Shanghai. The anticipated placing of the orders agreed in the precontracts includes the delivery of machines of CISARIS for selenisation, VISTARIS sputtering systems and evaporation systems SELENIUS. The SINGULUS machines are deployed at new production sites for high-performance CIGS solar modules. In particular the selenization machine CISARIS was already delivered to similar factories several times and amongst others forms the core of the solar module production.

The machines are intended to be used at two different factory sites and should provide for an output volume of around 150 MW as a first expansion stage of the infrastructure of the respective factories. The overall order value for SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES exceeds € 110 million in total and is split between the two factory sites of the Group in China.

The planned final output capacity of each factory should amount to around 300 MW in the end. This goal is set by the customer and by a subsequent, second expansion stage at the respective factory sites.

Dr.-Ing. Stefan Rinck, CEO of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, comments: 'This contract for the delivery of the key technologies, which are used in the manufacturing of CIGS solar modules, is of essential importance for us and confirms our leading position in this market segment. We have extensively discussed the preliminary work for the optimization of the production processes with the customer and once again implemented numerous improvements. Our construction work was finalized and we will shortly begin assembling the machines.'

The financing of the project is expected shortly after the signing of the legally-binding delivery contracts. These contracts are still subject to the approval of the relevant boards of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES.

Background CIGS technology

In contrast to crystalline solar cells, for the CIGS technology large glass panels are used as base material and coated with relatively thin alloys of copper, indium, gallium and selenium or sulfur (CIGS). Compared with the crystalline solar cells, the thin-film solar modules only slightly lose their efficiency in case of low lighting conditions or very high temperatures, i.e. the thin-film solar modules already generate power in the early mornings and in the evenings and therefore offer cost benefits for the generation of photovoltaic electricity. Loss of power during clouding is also mitigated to a large extent. Moreover, due to their optically more attractive surface, they can be set up on roofs and faces of buildings as a means of design.

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES - Innovations for New Technologies

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is an engineering company and develops and builds machines for economic and resource-efficient production processes. The range of use of the machines built by SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES include vacuum thin-film and plasma coating, wet-chemical cleaning and etching processes as well as thermal processing technology.

For all machines, processes and applications SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES utilizes its know-how in the areas of automation and process technology in order to provide additional, attractive work areas with innovative products next to the existing application areas of Solar, Semiconductors and Optical Disc.

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstrasse 103, D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890