News

Unitech May Enter Into Solar Cell Production

May 14, 2007 by Jeff Shepard

Unitech Printed Circuit Board Corp., a Taiwanese printed circuit board (PCB) maker, is rumored to be planning to enter the solar cell industry as it seeks to diversify its business.

According to industry sources, a Unitech engineering team is now being trained on solar cell development, and the company is also evaluating the solar cell making equipment it will have to purchase. The equipment supplier is said to likely be Centrotherm, OTB Solar, Roth & Rau, or Schmid Technology Systems, all of which offer turnkey solutions. Unitech is reportedly setting up a production line with an annual capacity of 30MW initially, with production likely to start in mid-2008.

Unitech would become the second Taiwan-based PCB maker to venture into the solar cell industry. NexPower Technology, a joint venture between PCB maker Unimicron Technology and foundry United Microelectronics Corp., is developing thin-film solar cells.

Unitech acting spokesman Kang Tai-ming has, however, dismissed the reports, adding that he did not know whether the company would enter the solar cell industry in the future.