News on 2018

News on suppliers, market trends and technology innovations in polysilicon and wafer production is selected, assessed and written for you by Bernreuter Research.

GCL-Poly’s wafer factory in Suzhou

GCL-Poly made a loss in first ten months of 2018, sells wafer unit

(comments: 0)

Leading China-based polysilicon and wafer maker GCL-Poly Energy Holdings made a loss of approx. US$77.7 million in the first ten months of 2018; the group will dispose its subsidiary Suzhou Kezhun Photovoltaic Technologies.

Headquarters of Yingli Green Energy (Yingli Solar) in Baoding, Hebei province

Yingli reaches amendment to polysilicon contracts with Wacker

(comments: 0)

Cash-strapped Chinese integrated solar module producer Yingli Green Energy has successfully negotiated new terms for its polysilicon long-term contracts with German supplier Wacker Chemie AG.

Worker with polysilicon rods at polysilicon plant of Osaka Titanium Technologies in Japan

Osaka Titanium exits polysilicon business for semiconductors

(comments: 0)

Osaka Titanium Technologies, a Japanese manufacturer of titanium materials and electronic-grade polysilicon, has announced that it will abandon polysilicon production at the end of December 2018.

PV system in Japan with solar modules from Kyocera

Kyocera reaches settlement on polysilicon contract with Hemlock

(comments: 0)

Japanese solar module producer Kyocera has reached a settlement in its contract dispute with U.S.-based polysilicon manufacturer Hemlock Semiconductor.

Diamond wire saw with monocrystalline silicon ingot

Success factors of monocrystalline technology in the PV market

(comments: 0)

An interesting background article of pv magazine illustrates the technological progress that has facilitated the current upswing of monocrystalline silicon in the PV market.

Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) of China, press conference on February 9, 2017

US-China trade talks in focus after duties on EU polysilicon expire

(comments: 0)

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has terminated duties on polysilicon imports from the European Union. Now U.S. President Trump has asked government staff to draw up a potential deal in the trade conflict with China.

Polysilicon EBITDA margins of OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon from Q3 2017 through Q3 2018

OCI considers shifting polysilicon capacity to semiconductor use

(comments: 0)

After the EBITDA margin of its basic chemicals division, which includes polysilicon, tumbled to minus 2.0% in the third quarter of 2018, South Korean OCI mulls shifting part of its polysilicon capacity to semiconductor applications.

Workers at polysilicon plant in China

Chinese polysilicon producers intensify cut-throat competition

(comments: 0)

GCL-Poly Energy Holdings and Tongwei Group have announced production capacities that are larger than originally planned for their new polysilicon factories.

Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant in Charleston, Tennessee

Wacker feels the brunt of the polysilicon market downturn

(comments: 0)

The EBITDA margin of Wacker’s polysilicon division has become razor-thin: In the third quarter of 2018, the ratio slumped to just 2.5%, down from 16.2% in the previous quarter and 24.9% in the prior year period.

REC Silicon’s fluidized bed reactor polysilicon plant in Moses Lake, Washington at night

REC Silicon keeps the lights on at polysilicon plant in Moses Lake

(comments: 0)

U.S.-based polysilicon manufacturer REC Silicon has stopped speculation that its plant in Moses Lake, Washington could be closed.