“It’s about best technologies, highest throughput and lowest losses”
For industries that require expensive raw materials such as silicon and sapphire, production efficiency and process stability are key to operating cost-efficient production lines. Peter Pauli, CEO of Meyer Burger AG, explains how this major provider of slicing systems to solar-cell manufacturers helps its clients achieve “lowest cost of ownership” while maximising production capacity.
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PES: Can you explain a little about your company and what part you play in the renewable energy industry?
Peter Pauli: Meyer Burger is a global leading provider of precision-slicing technology, predominantly to the solar industry. We provide sophisticated machinery incorporating wire saws, band saws and ID/OD slicing systems for cutting hard and brittle materials such as silicon, sapphire or other crystals into wafers, prisms and other forms.
We are fully committed to ecological, social and financial sustainability. Approximately 75% of our net sales generated during fiscal year 2006 were attributable to customers in the solar industry. We are directly involved in the value chain of solar-cell production. As such, its machines and services are closely linked to the ecological benefits of solar cells as a source of electricity and energy.
PES: Aside from solar, your organisation feeds a number of industries – how do you manage to meet all their needs?
PP: For our other two major markets – semiconductor and optical – we also supply leading technologies for cutting hard and brittle, but costly materials. All of our target industries expect best technologies, highest throughput and lowest loss of valuable raw material.
