Heliatek has announced that they will begin building its first production site in Dresden. Construction will be carried out in co-operation with FHR Anlagenbau GmbH.

FHR has developed a highly integrated production line for organic solar cells that has a very small footprint. This production line uses a novel coating system that combines complex vacuum process technology used for depositing organic molecules.

Heliatek and FHR plan to have the new manufacturing facility set up by mid 2011. The first products to be produced by the new foil coating system are expected to be available at the start of 2012. The construction of the first production site is being supported financially by the European Union.

According to Heliatek the company moved into its ‘new home’ in May 2010, giving it the space to carry out everything ‘from lab to fab’. The facility has a floor space of about 1,700 m², and provides enough room not only for production but also to accommodate future expansion of the laboratories and research units.

Heliatek is pursuing the goal of becoming the world’s first manufacturer of organic, oligomer-based solar cells and the supplier of the most efficient, stable and productive organic solar cells.

Dr. Andreas Rückemann, CEO Heliatek, said, “We have found a professional partner in FHR who has the capability to support us in our strategic long-term capacity expansion plan and with whom we are able to ensure the implementation of the organic based PV-module production.”

Dr. Reinhard Fendler, Managing Director FHR, said, “We are very proud of the integrative work we have done here and are very happy to have found Heliatek, an ideal partner situated close by, which already has a top position within the OPV industry. Organic photovoltaic is a new business area for FHR and our roll-to-roll systems. Strategically it is very interesting and has a very promising future.”

www.heliatek.com    www.fhr.de