MILLVILLE, NJ--(Marketwire - March 7, 2011) - Amcor announces today that its Glass Tubing business, a leading producer of pharmaceutical glass packaging and glass products for high performance industrial applications, has entered into a long term agreement with Fremont, California-based solar energy company Solyndra to supply tubular glass for its proprietary solar energy panels. The companies will transact over $200 million of business throughout the life of the contract.
As part of the agreement, Amcor will invest $4 million to expand its Glass Tubing facility in Millville, New Jersey. The expansion is scheduled to be ready for added production by fall of 2011 and full production beginning in 2012.
Amcor presently has two full production lines in operation in New Jersey for Solyndra, with the expansion adding an additional three lines. The expansion will result in a dedicated team to support Solyndra, including operations, quality control and future technical development. Once at full production, forty new employees will have been added to support the expansion for Solyndra.
"Our dedicated Solyndra production team in Millville will function as a focused factory for their product line to ensure quality products and continuous improvements," said Kevin Derbin, Vice President and General Manager of Amcor's Global Glass Tubing business.
"This agreement also contemplates how we will accommodate Solyndra's expected growth over the next decade, which further underlines the trust and confidence the two companies place in each other. Together we will continue to work on innovative ways to develop better efficiencies and enhance the competitive nature in this growing segment of the alternative energy industry," added Derbin.
"Amcor Glass Tubing has worked closely with Solyndra since the beginning and understands our need for the highest quality, durability and reliability in our solar module that will produce power on a rooftop for more than 25 years," said Ben Bierman, Solyndra's EVP of operations and engineering. "They are an important part of our U.S.-based supply chain and have shown their ability to meet our needs for glass tubes. We currently use more than 3 million a month, and expect to double that in the next 6 months as our 300MW Fab 2 ramps to meet product demand."
This collaborative alliance represents a natural fit for both companies in North America, leveraging the domestic advantages of capability and location with the global scope of each of the businesses. For Amcor's Millville glass facility, the demands and specifications required by Solyndra correspond well with Amcor Glass Tubing's long history and leadership in the manufacture and conversion of pharmaceutical glass and related products.
About Amcor
Amcor Glass Tubing is based in Millville New Jersey and employs over 900 employees across its network of production sites in the United States and Europe. Amcor Limited is a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, employing more than 35,000 people worldwide, operating in 43 countries across 300 sites. Amcor supplies a broad range of plastic (rigid and flexible), fibre, metal, and glass packaging solutions to enhance the products consumers use in everyday life. Amcor also provides packaging-related services that help customers succeed through collaboration and innovation driven by art and science. Amcor is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. For more information, visit www.amcor.com.
About Solyndra
Solyndra is a leading global provider of solar systems for the commercial and industrial rooftop market. Headquartered in Fremont, California, Solyndra produces cylindrical thin-film modules at its state-of-the-art U.S. manufacturing facility. Solyndra's panels are placed horizontally on the rooftop and don't require expensive mounting or ballast. The Solyndra panels can be installed more quickly and at a lower cost than conventional systems. Able to capture direct and reflected sunlight across a 360 degree surface, Solyndra's panels offer building owners both lower electricity costs and greater system output, especially when paired with "cool" or white roofs. Solyndra manufactures all of its products in the United States through a well developed domestic supply chain and has approximately 1050 employees.
Contact Information:
Company Contact:
Shelley Steele
Amcor
(734) 302-2264