As Solar Market Strategic Manager for Sensata Technologies, John Kluza has witnessed business evolution not just within his company, but in the wider solar arena. Here, he talks to PES about how Sensata is geared to meet that evolution and to capitalise on it.
PES: Welcome to PES. Would you like to introduce your company and explain a little about how you serve the
solar/PV sector?
John Kluza: Sensata is a world leader and innovator in mission-critical sensing, electrical protection and power management products, with revenue of almost $2 billion in 2013. Sensata is a key player in industries such as automotive, appliance and aircraft, and our products include items like circuit breakers and switches, thermal motor protectors and pressure sensors.
A number of these products have found applications in the solar sector. Additionally, Sensata has also developed, and continues to develop, complementary products specifically targeted for the solar industry. Sensata is based in the Netherlands and has production, engineering and sales sites all over the world.
PES: What was the thinking behind the company’s diversification into solar? Is this move beginning to
yield rewards?
JK: The recent improvements in solar economics and growth in global deployments make it clear the market is maturing. As solar grows, it increasingly requires similar supplier attributes to the mature markets we are in.
For instance, the capabilities we have refined as a key supplier for automotive manufacturers, such as consistent high quality and cost-effective, high volume production, are the attributes solar requires of its suppliers as the industry grows. With that in mind, pursuing new opportunities in solar made good sense.
