MERRIMACK, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLR), a global provider of polysilicon production technology, and sapphire and silicon crystalline growth systems and materials for the solar, LED and other specialty markets, today announced the ASF™100 advanced sapphire growth system. The ASF100 increases yielded output of sapphire material by producing a larger, 100 kilogram sapphire boule in the same chamber as previous versions of the furnace.

“We have received an enthusiastic response from early adopter customers for our ASF sapphire growth systems as they enter the market to provide high quality sapphire material for the fast-growing LED industry,” said Cheryl Diuguid, vice president and general manager of GT Solar’s sapphire equipment and materials group. “Our advanced sapphire crystallization systems are built on a highly scalable and reliable architecture that lets customers quickly ramp to volume production with a lower capital investment compared with other competing crystallization technologies.”

With over 40 years of proven sapphire production and crystalline growth process technology, the ASF100 provides a highly automated, low risk operating environment, capable of producing consistently uniform sapphire boules that yield high quality material ideally suited for high brightness (HB) LED applications. “With competing crystallization technologies customers entering the sapphire crystallization market are forced to choose between systems that provided quality or systems that offer high throughput,” continued Diuguid. “Our ASF100 offers high quality and high volume so customers get both in one system.”

Since the commercial introduction of the ASF system in the fall of 2010, GT has booked more than $450 million in orders from new entrants and existing sapphire producers. The ASF100 advanced sapphire furnace offers a proven path to producing high-quality, large-area sapphire substrates for markets that demand the highest grade material.

About GT Solar International, Inc.

GT Solar International, Inc. is a global provider of polysilicon production technology, and sapphire and silicon crystalline growth systems and materials for the solar, LED and other specialty markets. The company's products and services allow its customers to optimize their manufacturing environments and lower their cost of ownership. For additional information about GT Solar, please visit www.gtsolar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking in nature, including statements regarding expected revenue from customer contracts and the effectiveness and yield of the ASF100 when used by customers and its ability to lower customer costs and improve a customer’s competitive position. These statements are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. Factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements include the possibility that the Company is unable to recognize revenue on customer contracts, that technological changes could render existing products or technologies obsolete, the Company may be unable to protect its intellectual property rights, competition from other manufacturers may increase, exchange rate fluctuations and conditions in the credit markets and economy may reduce demand for the Company’s products and various other risks as outlined in GT Solar International, Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the statements under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2010 filed on June 4, 2010, and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter of fiscal 2011 filed on February 10, 2011. GT Solar International, Inc. is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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