PLYMOUTH, Mich. and Hamburg, Germany, Aug. 28 MI-ROFIN-SINAR-Manz
PLYMOUTH, Mich. and Hamburg, Germany, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
ROFIN-SINAR Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: RSTI), one of the world's leading
developers and manufacturers of high-performance laser beam sources and
laser-based solutions, today announced that it had entered into a strategic
alliance with Manz Automation AG (Reutlingen/Germany) to develop a new machine
concept for the production of thin-film solar modules.
The strategic alliance aims to develop a new type of manufacturing
equipment for the photovoltaic industry that combines laser edge ablation and
laser cutting of thin-film solar modules within production. The innovative
machine concept will allow two successive processes to be integrated into a
single production line:
The laser edge ablation process Manz Automation developed in the past and
the new process in the photovoltaic sector to cut glass using the ROFIN-SINAR
protected MLBA laser process.
The combination of both process technologies using ROFIN-SINAR laser
technology within an innovative machine concept shall result in cost savings
in production and far-reaching improvements in the quality of the solar
modules.
Within the cooperation the partners will bundle and benefit from their
respective competences. Manz Automation as the engineering partner will
develop the production system and integrate the laser technology. ROFIN-SINAR
will be responsible for developing the laser cutting technology, which will be
used exclusively by Manz Automation in the photovoltaic sector.
After the joint project starts in September 2008, the project is expected
to take approximately 12 months until the new machines will be market-ready.
With operational headquarters in Plymouth, Michigan, and Hamburg, Germany,
ROFIN-SINAR Technologies Inc. designs, develops, engineers and manufactures
laser sources and laser-based system solutions for a wide range of
applications. With production facilities in the US, Germany, UK, Sweden,
Finland, Singapore and Japan, ROFIN-SINAR is one of the world's leading
designers and manufacturers of industrial lasers and currently has more than
28,000 laser units installed worldwide and serves more than 3,000 customers.
ROFIN-SINAR's shares trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol
RSTI and are listed in Germany in the "Prime Standard" segment of the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange under ISIN US7750431022. Additional information is
available on ROFIN-SINAR's home page: http://www.rofin.com.
Company Profile: Manz Automation AG
Reutlingen-based Manz Automation AG (ISIN: DE000A0JQ5U3), together with
its subsidiaries, is by market share one of the world's leading technological
providers of systems and components for automation, quality assurance and
laser process technology for the photovoltaic industry and for automation and
wet chemicals for the LCD industry. The Manz Group's core competences are in
robotics, image processing, laser technology, wet chemicals as well as control
and drive technology. The Manz Group has sales and/or service branches in
Germany, Taiwan, the USA, China, South Korea, Spain, Hungary and Slovakia as
well as a service alliance in India. In addition, the Manz Group has its own
production facilities in Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Taiwan and China. The
Manz Group recorded revenues of around EUR 71.2 million in fiscal year 2007.
Investor relations contact: Manz Automation AG, Birte-Christina Benecke,
Phone: +49 (0)7121 - 9000-21, E-Mail: bbenecke@manz-automation.com.
Contact: Katharina Manok
Gunther Braun
ROFIN-SINAR
734-416-0206
- or -
011-49-40-733-63-256
ir@rofin.com
SOURCE ROFIN-SINAR Technologies Inc.
