Sustainability Report - Bank Sarasin-Alpen

Solar Energy 2005
lectors will be concentrated in one plant operated by Solarcap (see VKR Holding)
in Denmark, in an attempt to exploit synergy effects and economies of scale.
Giordano Industries
GreenOneTec
Huemer Group
KBB
Paradigma/Ritter Solar
Rheem/Solahart
Schott Rohrglas
Schüco
Jacques Giordano Industries has been producing solar heating systems for more
than 20 years. Giordano not only offers glazed solar collectors, but a solarpowered
shower and plastic absorbers for swimming pools. In particular, the
company is also active in France’s overseas territories.
GreenOneTec is a technology leader and easily the biggest producer of solar
collectors in Europe. Following the integration of Foco’s production facilities,
production of roughly 500,000 m 2 is planned for 2006. According to statements
from CEO Robert Kanduth, a second phase of capacity expansion to 1 million m 2
is on the cards.
The Huemer Group comprises the companies Böhm (absorber production),
Sunmaster (collector production) and Xolar (regional trading and assembly). This
up-and-coming company is focused on OEM production, but also develops new
connection techniques for absorbers.
The young company KBB has sold its production facilities and know-how in the
field of soldering technology and laser welding of absorbers to Viessmann, which
has traditionally been the biggest customer of KBB products. In future KBB plans
to concentrate not only on absorber production, but increasingly on the manufacture
of flat-plate collectors (OEM).
Paradigma/Ritter Solar is now the leading provider of evacuated tube collectors
(ETC) in Germany. The joint venture with the Chinese company Linuo is very
successful. Ritter Solar now offers an ETC product, the “Aqua-System”. Here the
hot water flows directly through the ETC and existing storage modules can be
included in the system.
With a collector area of 320 Tm 2 , Australia’s Rheem/Solahart is a globally active
company and a leader in the field of hot water systems (gas, electric and solar
powered). The market focus is on the southern hemisphere, mainly the sale of
thermosiphon systems. The company also makes flat-plate and tube collectors
(a recent addition). The acquisition of Edwards, Australia’s number two in hot
water systems, enabled Rheem/Solahart to significantly strengthen its position.
Schott Rohrglas is best known for its collector tubes with high vacuum insulation.
Schott Rohrglas also makes tubes for parabolic through receivers, a key component
in solar thermal power stations. The receiver tube is 4 m long. This makes
Schott one of the global leaders in the solar industry, and it is the only company
to offer components for virtually all the application fields of photovoltaics and solar
thermal power.
Schüco is working hard to expand its solar heating business, especially in Germany.
In mid-August the company announced that the future “theoretical production
capacity” of its collector plant in Bielefeld would be 1.5 million m 2 . Schüco
pursues a successful marketing policy and offers integrated solutions (integration
of solar heating and PV systems into buildings/façades).
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