Milestone shipment comes six months after shipping 2000th system
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 that it has shipped its 3000th DSSTM multicrystalline ingot growth furnace. Taiwan-based Gigastorage Corporation will receive the milestone system, a DSS450HP, and install it in its multicrystalline wafer production facility in Hsinchu.
"Achieving the milestone shipment of our 3000th DSS ingot growth furnace is a testimony to the reliability and longevity of our DSS architecture that continues to deliver sustained value to customers eight years after its market introduction," said Tom Gutierrez, president and chief executive officer of GT Solar. "We are pleased to recognize Gigastorage Corporation, a valued GT customer, as the recipient of our 3000th DSS furnace."
GT Solar introduced its first DSS crystallization system, the DSS240, in 2003. The DSS architecture was designed to accommodate future advancements in crystalline growth process technology. Customers can easily upgrade their existing furnaces to achieve higher levels of performance and throughput. The latest generation DSS650, which the company announced in January 2011, continues this commitment to delivering higher levels of productivity and efficiency while lowering the cost of manufacturing. The DSS240 was capable of producing multicrystalline ingots of 240 kilograms. That same customer could upgrade those DSS240 furnaces to the DSS650 level of performance with minor equipment and process changes and start producing ingots greater than 625 kilograms.
About GT Solar International, Inc.
GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLR), 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 effectiveness of our DSS furnace 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.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6733321&lang=en
CONTACT:
GT Solar
Media
Jeff Nestel-Patt, 603-204-2883
jeff.nestelpatt@gtsolar.com
or
Investors/Analysts
Ryan Blair, 603-681-3869
ryan.blair@gtsolar.com
GT Solar's DSS(tm) multicrystalline ingot growth furnaces are the most widely used systems in the solar PV industry. (Photo: Business Wire)