Can you give me more details on the plant you plan to set up in Tennessee? Start of construction, nominal capacity, investment, start of production, number of employees and the like?
While the acquisition of the land is an important prerequisite to execute quickly on our intention to set up a new polysilicon plant, we have not yet determined when we will actually start with the construction phase of this project. Timing and the details largely depend on the further development of polysilicon demand, is a complex work in process and are still to be decided. By the time we have taken a decision regarding construction and estimated time to begin production, we will disclose further project details.
You have stated in your press release the purchase price of the land, investment figures and your expected employment when the plant goes into operation. What do you base these figures on?
The purchase price of the land is in fact around 20 million USD. The mid term investment of some 1 billion USD to develop and set up the plant and anticipated employment of around 500 newly created jobs is our current assessment. Market conditions, the scope of the manufacturing process and the land required to support such an operation, in conjunction with having access to a solid infrastructure played a large part in developing our assessment.
Why Tennessee?
There are several factors in the selection process which triggered our decision for Tennessee:
- Extension of our natural hedge via production outside the euro zone.
- Minimizing transportation cost and lead times for our U.S. customers.
- Abundant and low energy cost.
- Excellent infrastructure / transportation network
- Protection of our intellectual property.
- Support of local government, business and agencies.
These are just some of the key points we considered in our site selection process and the Bradley County, Tennessee area turned out to be the best option for a new polysilicon site.
Now that you have purchased the land, and construction is to follow at some point, who would be our contact or who would be send information during this interim period?
As one might imagine, with a project so complex and so involved, there are many steps that will be taking place before we reach the point of breaking ground. WACKER’s Media Relations Manager in the United States is Mr. William Toth. Our Corporate Media Relations Senior Manager in Munich is Mr. Christof Bachmair. Of course you may direct any further media - related questions you may have to either of them. In the case of inquiries regarding contractors, suppliers or vendors who might wish to become involved in the construction phase of the project, or those who may be seeking future employment with WACKER, inquiries can be submitted via the links provided on
this web page
(www.wacker.com/tennessee).
Where can I find more information about the project?
The best source of information is to visit www.wacker.com/tennessee for periodic updates regarding the project. As we have just finished the first phase with the purchase of the property, the next phase leading toward plant construction and timelines associated with beginning production will be quite involved and complex. We will make an announcement at a later time.
What type of product or material will you be manufacturing in the plant?
The plant will manufacture a material known as hyperpure polycrystalline silicon derived in complex process from quartzite. Polysilicon is the starting material for the production of solar panels and photovoltaic devices. For a comprehensive view of the material, the manufacturing process and market applications, please view the video “Polysilicon – Building Blocks for Microchips and Solar Cells,” found on this page.
My company is a construction contractor or supplier of services used in construction. Where might I send our business card and information about my company?
To register for consideration to become a reliable supplier of WACKER, please use our easy-to-use online supplier registration process. Simply provide the following information about your company:
- Address + D-U-N-S® number
- Regions in which you do business
- Contact person
- Material groups on offer (eCl@ass code)
Once the registration is complete, your data will be forwarded directly to your designated WACKER purchasing representative.
Please remember that registration requires your D&B D-U-N-S
® number. If you don't have a D-U-N-S
® number, you can request a free one via the following link:
http://www.upik.de/en/start.html
In registering, you indicate your acceptance of the principles underlying the UN's Global Compact. For details of this UN initiative, visit
http://www.unglobalcompact.org
I am interested in a future career with WACKER. Where might I send my resume and qualifications?
Thank you for your inquiry and interest regarding future employment opportunities with WACKER. We appreciate your interest in joining our team.
The start date for construction of our Tennessee plant has yet to be determined. You are welcome to submit your resume and qualifications at this time; however, please note that we will not begin staffing until construction begins. To submit your resume and qualifications via email, click on
hr@wacker.com
and attach your cover letter and resume.
For updates about this project, please visit www.wacker.com/tennessee or send your inquiry to
hr@wacker.com
.