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23.08.2006 Corporate News SolarWorld AG (Securities Code No.: WKN 510 840) (International Securities Identification Number: ISIN DE0005108401)
Corporate News communicated by DGAP. The issuer is responsible for the contents of this Corporate News.
SolarWorld AG keeps up rate of expansion Logistics capacities to be doubled
SolarWorld AG (ISIN: DE0005108401) is continuing its group-wide expansion after the take-over of the Shell Group’s crystalline solar silicon activities with undiminished vigour. Thus, the topping-out ceremony for the enhanced logistics centre is due to take place on 23 August 2006 at the production site in Freiberg/Saxony. As a result the group will be more than doubling its local logistics capacities. “With the expansion of our ‘SolarLogs’ we are providing logistics support to the advancing expansion of our production capacities along the entire solar value chain,” explains Prof. Dr. Peter Woditsch, spokesman of the board of Deutsche Solar AG. “In this way we guarantee the group companies as well as external customers the usual smooth and rapid supply with SolarWorld products.” External customers of the group include for example the German solar cell manufacturer Ersol Solar Energy AG and Sunways AG who recently signed comprehensive ten-year contracts with Deutsche Solar AG for the supply of solar wafers. Breaking ground for silicon production in Rheinfelden In Freiberg the ‘SolarLog’ handles a large proportion of the international logistics activities of the SolarWorld Group. These include the organization of the logistics flows of solar wafers, solar cells and solar modules from the group’s own production as well as the individual assembly and delivery of complete solar power plants. The most advanced high bin storage technology will be employed for the new building. The total space will grow by 5,500 square metres to 10,500 square metres. The group expects the building work to be completed in October 2006. For the further expansion of the business activities in Freiberg the group has additionally secured the right of first refusal for the purchase of a new plot of land. The area bordering on the existing site offers some 27,000 square metres. In the course of the further expansion the ground breaking ceremony will take place at Rheinfelden (Baden) on 31 August 2006 for the solar silicon production plant of Joint Solar Silicon (JSSI) in which shares are held by both SolarWorld AG and Degussa AG. Journalists are kindly invited to attend the event after registering with us first. SolarWorld Industries America production going up In the meantime the expansion work in the newly acquired production facilities in the USA is proceeding successfully. Since the acquisition of the US locations the capacity utilization of for example solar cell manufacturing at SolarWorld Industries America in Camarillo/California has gone up significantly. For the second half of the year 2006 the group is expecting to double US solar cell production over that of the previous year.
About SolarWorld AG: The SolarWorld Group is among the three largest solar power companies in the world. The group is dedicated exclusively to the core business of solar energy combining all stages of the solar value chain from the raw material silicon to turn-key solar power plants. The company operates production facilities in Germany, Sweden and the USA. In the United States SolarWorld AG is the leading producer and provider of solar power technology. In addition sales offices operate in South Africa and Singapore completing the international alignment of the group. The responsibility of these offices includes the sale of rural solar power solutions that can make an important contribution to the sustainable economic development of the southern hemisphere. In Freiberg, Saxony, the group operates one of the world’s most advanced integrated solar production facilities where the SolarWorld Group turns solar grade silicon into high quality solar wafers, solar cells and solar modules. SolarWorld AG offers a broad and diverse range of products from modules for grid-coupled and grid-independent power generation all the way to a whole class of complete solar power systems for decentralized and centralized electricity generation. After the IPO at the end of 1999 the company developed within a few years from a solar trading house to a fully integrated solar technology group. The workforce has doubled itself from 684 employees by mid-year 2005 to more than 1,300 employees by mid-year 2006. SolarWorld AG is listed at the stock exchange in the technology index TecDAX, in DAXglobal Alternative Energy Index and in the Dow Jones STOXX 600 as well as in the international MSCI World Index among others.
Contact: SolarWorld AG Investor Relations / Marketing Communications, Tel.-No.: +49 228 55920 -470; Fax-No.: +49 228 55920-9470, E-mail: placement(at)solarworld.de; Internet: www.solarworld.de
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