[Note: job information about Solar World USA can be found at http://www.solarworld-usa.com/Job-Career.173.0.html]

Portland Business Journal

March 1, 2007

Solarworld AG, a German company that acquired a factory in Hillsboro, announced Thursday plans to invest $397 million to double its solar-cell and wafer production by 2010 and add 1,000 new jobs.

Solarworld will move current production facilities from Vancouver to Hillsboro. The Vancouver plant, which makes silicon ingots used to build solar wafers and employs 100, will be closed. Employees in Vancouver will be offered jobs at the new facility.

Frank Asbeck, chairman and CEO, said the Hillsboro factory would be the largest solar-wafer and cell factory in the United States.

Production is expected to begin this summer.

By the end of 2009, the Hillsboro factory will be able to produce solar silicon wafers and solar cells capable of generating 500 megawatts of electricity per year, Asbeck said.

Solarworld acquired the Hillsboro factory on Wednesday for $40 million from Japan's Komatsu-Group. Komatsu-Group invested $794 million in it to produce silicon computer chips, but dropped the project when chip prices fell.

Asbeck said the state of Oregon will support the new plant with funds from the Anti-Global Warning Program.

Solarworld has production facilities in Germany, Sweden and the United States and employs 1,350 worldwide.