Panasonic to build new solar manufacturing base in Malaysia to produce wafers, cells and modules

OSAKA, JAPAN: Panasonic Corp. announced its plan to establish a company in Malaysia that will serve as Panasonic's new solar manufacturing base. Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., to be set up in December 2011, will operate a vertically-integrated solar manufacturing facility producing from wafers to cells and modules. Panasonic will invest 45 billion yen in the facility, which will start operation in December 2012 with an annual production capacity of 300 MW.

With environmental awareness increasing globally and introduction of subsidy systems and Feed-in Tariff schemes in Japan as well as other countries, etc., the solar cell market is predicted to grow further. Robust demand is expected particularly in the residential sector, the main target of the Panasonic HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar modules. The new factory, to be built in the Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah, will not only help Panasonic meet this growing demand, but also strengthen the HIT module's cost-competitiveness with the vertically-integrated production.

Panasonic will sell its solar modules as an individual product as well as part of a system combined with storage batteries. Further, as part of its comprehensive solutions business, which is built on capacities brought together across the Panasonic group companies, Panasonic will accelerate its solar business development globally.

Outline of the new company
Company Name: Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Location: Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah, Malaysia
Establishment: December 2011 (production scheduled to start in December 2012)
Capital: 22.5 billion yen
Capital Subscription: Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 100 percent
Outline of Business: Production of HIT solar modules (integrated production of wafers, cells and modules)
Building Area: Approx. 70,000 m2
Number of Employees: Approx. 1,500
Annual Production Capacity: 300MW.