Solar cell maker Sino-American Silicon Products Inc (SAS, 中美矽晶) has obtained approval to join the government’s reshoring initiative by investing NT$2.17 billion (US$68.6 million) to expand manufacturing capacity for large solar cells in Miaoli County’s Jhunan Township (竹南) and Yilan County, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.
SAS also plans to allocate part of the capital to build a smart manufacturing system at the factories to improve efficiency and work flow, the ministry said in a statement.
To enhance its technological capability, SAS told investors in August that it aimed to launch high-efficiency N-type TOPCON products early next year.
Photo courtesy of Sino-American Silicon Products Inc
N-type TOPCON technology offers advantages such as a low degradation rate, low temperature coefficient and high conversion efficiency of up to 25 percent, SAS said.
Large M10 N-Type TOPCON cells are to be the company’s new iconic product, it said.
SAS is one of five new companies to receive the government’s approval to invest at home, the ministry said.
Presently, 1,427 Taiwanese companies have pledged to invest a combined NT$2.16 trillion as part of the government’s Invest in Taiwan initiative.
Those investments are to create about 148,000 new jobs, the ministry said, adding that 11 companies are still waiting for a review to join the initiative.
Gen Asia Biotech Co (詮亞), a fruit powder supplier, was granted permission to invest NT$320 million to build its headquarters and a new production line in Nantou County, according to the ministry’s statement.
The company plans to add 30 local employees, the statement said.
Gen Asia plans to install automated equipment to improve manufacturing efficiency, the statement said.
The company also plans to install solar panels on the factory’s rooftop to cut carbon emissions, it said.
Fabric manufacturer Yum Sang Industrial Ltd (揚盛實業), which counts 3M, Nike Inc and Adidas AG among its major customers, plans to spend NT$250 million to build a new factory in Tainan as its existing factory is running short of manufacturing capacity.
Prepared foods supplier Sancci Manufacture Food Co (饗城) plans to spend NT$610 million to build new cold-storage warehouses in Changhua County’s Erlin Township (二林), where its factory is. The investment project would create 12 new jobs, the statement said.
Rice products supplier Better For You Co (貝特福優) plans to build a smart production line in Yilan County to expand capacity for an unspecified amount of capital, the statement said.
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