Qimonda AG, a leading supplier of memory products, and Centrosolar Group AG, a leading German solar company, this week signed a contract to jointly build, equip and operate a solar cell manufacturing plant. As a result of the agreement, Centrosolar will be able to create additional solar cells using modern technologies, whereas Qimonda will be able to turn its scrap silicon substrate into revenue.
The joint venture will produce solar cells based on silicon and will be owned 49% by Centrosolar and 51% by Qimonda Solar GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of Qimonda AG. In the planned cooperation, Qimonda will contribute its existing know-how in silicon-based mass production as well as important access to silicon supply. Centrosolar will contribute its expertise with solar systems and the sales and distribution of solar modules.
(Full article ‘Centrosolar and Qimonda to Jointly Manufacture Solar Cells’)
Global sales of semiconductors rose by five percent in October from a year earlier, fuelled by stronger-than-expected demand for personal computers, with Christmas sales appearing so far to be solid, the Semiconductor Industry Association said on Monday.
At $23.1bn (11.2bn), October sales were about two percent higher than the $22.6bn reported in September. “Strong unit demand for PCs has driven a 15 percent increase in unit sales of microprocessors for the first 10 months of 2007 compared to the same period of 2006,” the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said in its monthly report.
So far this year, sales are in keeping with the SIA’s forecast for 3.8 percent growth in worldwide sales for 2007, the SIA said.
The report said that consumers are taking advantage of lower prices in the industry, with revenues up only four percent over January-to-October 2006 sales.
(Full article ‘Chips sales up on strong PC demand’)
Global microchip sales rose 5.9 percent in September, driven by demand for consumer products such as personal computers and mobile phones, the Semiconductor Industry Association said on Monday.
Microchip sales in September were $22.6bn (10.96bn), compared with $21.3bn last year.
(Full article ‘September sees rise in global microchip sales’)