NEWS MANUFACTURING
BMO InvestorLine AlertsSustainable Energy Technologies Ltd (STG:TSXV) - News Alert Sustainable Energy to Manufacture SUNERGY(TM) Inverters in
Guelph OntarioHighlights:-- Canadian Inverter Technology to Be Manufactured in Guelph Ontario for Ontario and US Markets-- Guelph based Melitron to Provide Key Components and Final Assembly and Test Facility-- Start-Up by December 2010 to Meet Rapidly Growing Ontario and US Order Book-- 4 MW per month capacity in Q1 2011 with 8 - 10 MW total capacity by Q4 2011Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd (TSX VENTURE:STG)
("Sustainable Energy") Canada's leader in solar inverter
technologies announced today that it will locate
its main North American inverter assembly and test
facility in the City of Guelph, Ontario. The high
volume assembly and test facility will be operated
for Sustainable Energy by Melitron Corporation,
a Guelph based manufacturer which will also supply
enclosures for the SUNERGYTM inverter from its
adjacent manufacturing plant.Production of the SUNERGY inverters will begin
at the facility before the end of this year, and
the companies are targeting Canadian production
of approximately 4 MW per month by Q1 2011, with
expansion capacity up to 8 MW - 10 MW per month
by the end of 2011. The facility will serve
Ontario and US markets and will create new direct
employment for approximately 60 - 80 persons at
full capacity in the combined Melitron and
Sustainable Energy workforce, creating as many as
300 new direct and indirect jobs in the Guelph area.The Company intends to maintain its sub-contracted
facility in Cambridge, Ontario and will continue
to build products for the European market through
its sub-contract facility in China."We're delighted that Sustainable Energy Technologies
has chosen Ontario as its North American headquarters,
bringing up to 300 new jobs to the province as well
as supply chain opportunities for local businesses,"
said Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Economic Development
and Trade. "This announcement highlights the success
of our government's Green Energy Act."Sustainable Energy's solar inverter technology is
one of a new generation of "parallel" inverter
technologies which are changing the face of the
solar industry by increasing energy yields by
as much as 25% under real world conditions and
by enabling solar PV systems to be designed and
installed by mainstream building trades. The
result is a lower cost of electricity and better
returns on investment.
Sustainable Energy's manufacturing model
outsources manufacturing of 4 key sub-assemblies
to specialized contract manufacturers around
the world with the Company assuming direct
control over final assembly and testing of
the inverter at locations close to its customer base.
Because sub-assemblies are interchangeable among
different products they can be produced in higher
volumes and shipped in bulk to the point of final
assembly and testing enabling greater flexibility
in responding to market changes; better quality
control; and an overall lower cost of manufacturing.Significantly, the model levers the simplicity of
the final assembly process and the partnership
with Melitron to enable Sustainable Energy to
quickly expand production capacity with very
limited capital investment."Melitron's highly automated facility, its commitment
to product quality; and its ability to effectively
manage the final steps of the supply chain were
critical to enabling what will be a very successful
partnership," said Justin Holland Vice President
of Sustainable Energy responsible for Supply Chain
Management and Operations."We are very excited about our partnership with
Sustainable Energy which puts Melitron at the
forefront of the solar PV industry and which
will open new long-term markets in the US,"
said Ted Turner CEO of Melitron. "This was only
possible because of the Premier's commitment
to bringing new green jobs to the Province as
part of his Green Energy program."Demand for solar inverters will continue to grow
at unprecedented rates with the most recent
report by iSuppli Corporation forecasting 20,000 MW
of new installations in 2011 and reaching 37,000 MW
of new installations by 2014. Growth is being driven
by new expanded demand in the US and in new European
markets and lower PV module commodity prices due to
a continued oversupply in solar PV module production
capacity, mainly in Asia.About Melitron CorporationFounded in 1995 Melitron Corporation www.melitron.com
is a full service contract manufacturer specializing
in precision metal fabrication employing 120 people
in Guelph Ontario. It designs and manufactures precision
metal components, enclosures and assemblies primarily
for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) competing
in technology markets.