News on 2019

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

Polysilicon chunks from Wacker

Current record low of the polysilicon spot price will soon be over

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Johannes Bernreuter, head of Bernreuter Research, explains to pv magazine why the record-low polysilicon spot price of US$8 per kg should not be overinterpreted and what to expect next.

Polysilicon EBITDA margins of Daqo, OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon from Q2 2018 through Q2 2019

EBITDA lead of polysilicon maker Daqo shrank in second quarter

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Daqo New Energy, one of the leading low-cost polysilicon manufacturers in China, recorded significantly lower earnings in the second quarter; the EBITDA margin fell from 24.6% to 15.5%.

Longi’s polysilicon supply contract with Daqo

Daqo extends polysilicon supply volume to Longi to 134,400 tons

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Daqo, China’s third-largest polysilicon maker, has signed a new contract with leading monocrystalline wafer producer Longi for the supply of 112,800 tons of polysilicon from 2020 through 2020.

Polysilicon EBITDA margins of OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon from Q2 2018 through Q2 2019

Non-Chinese polysilicon producers swing back to positive EBITDA

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Polysilicon makers OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon all returned to black EBITDA figures in the second quarter. The margins ranged from 6.8% (OCI) to 3.4% (Wacker) to 1.1% (REC Silicon).

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

REC Silicon mothballs polysilicon plant in Moses Lake as expected

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In view of no visible progress in the trade negotiations between the USA and China, REC Silicon has placed its fluidized bed reactor (FBR) polysilicon plant at Moses Lake in a long-term shutdown.

Hankook Silicon’s polysilicon plant in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, South Korea

Korean polysilicon producer Hankook Silicon close to bankruptcy

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On June 10, a court in Seoul decided to terminate the rehabilitation proceedings for Hankook Silicon after two attempts to sell the Korean polysilicon manufacturer failed.

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

REC Silicon delays decision on shutdown of FBR polysilicon plant

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While trade negotiations between the USA and China have stalled, polysilicon manufacturer REC Silicon puts its last hope in talks between the two rivals at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

Monocrystalline solar wafers from Zhonghuan Semiconductor

Zhonghuan Semiconductor confirms capacity expansion to 55 GW

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China-based Zhonghuan Semiconductor, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of monocrystalline solar wafers, has confirmed earlier plans to increase its production capacity by 25 GW to 55 GW.

Polysilicon EBITDA margins of Daqo, OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon from Q1 2018 through Q1 2019

Daqo continues to ride the wave of low polysilicon prices

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With record-low production costs and a positive EBITDA margin of 24.6%, China-based polysilicon manufacturer Daqo New Energy defied the low polysilicon prices in the first quarter.

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

Next incident at Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant: fire extinguished

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20 months after a severe hydrogen explosion at Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant near Charleston, Tennessee, a fire in the waste water treatment building was extinguished.