SCHOTT AG has decided to wholly integrate its subsidiary SCHOTT Solarthermie GmbH into the SCHOTT Solar GmbH.

The development follows company's decision to bundle its competences in the solar industry into a new legal structure.

SCHOTT also announced changes in personnel, which are a result of the structural changes.

As a result, Dr. Gerrit Sames and Michael Harre move up into General Management of the SCHOTT Solar GmbH. Dr. Nikolaus Benz and Christoph Fark will take over general management of the SCHOTT Solarthermie GmbH.

It was shared that Dr. Sames will be responsible for global operations. Harre will continue to be responsible for sales and marketing.

General Management of the SCHOTT Solar GmbH is now comprised as follows:

·          Dr. Martin Heming (Chief Executive Officer)

·          Dr. Jürgen G. Kaiser-Gerwens (Chief Financial Officer)

·          Dr. Gerrit Sames (Chief Operating Officer)

·          Michael Harre (Chief Sales Officer)

Two long-term members of the staff of the SCHOTT Solarthermie GmbH will take over as Managing Directors: Dr. Nikolaus Benz will be responsible for technical and Christoph Fark for business issues.

This organisational realignment will have no effect on staff members working in the business unit CSP, which produces receivers for solar power plants at the locations Mitterteich (Germany) and Aznalcóllar (Spain).

Recently, the company shared that SCHOTT Solar intends to increase the annual capacity for the production of receivers for solar power plants with parabolic trough technology by the end of 2009 to approximately one gigawatt.

The annual production capacity of the joint venture WACKER SCHOTT is also planned to reach one gigawatt by 2012.

Parallel with the expansion plans the SCHOTT corporation is reorganising so it can combine its competences in solar energy – both photovoltaic  and CSP  – under the roof of the SCHOTT Solar GmbH.

It was announced that SCHOTT Solar GmbH is the only company worldwide that produces high-quality receivers for solar power plants with parabolic trough technology as well as components for PV-applications.

For his part, Dr. Heming, Managing Director and CEO of the SCHOTT Solar GmbH, said, "We consider solar power plants to be one of the most important alternatives with which to secure future energy supplies. They are already able to provide entire cities with electricity, as successful examples in the USA have shown. Projects of comparable scope are being realised in Spain. In addition, solar power plants can be combined with fossil fuels or biomass sources of energy. This ensures a dependable power supply with a high proportion of solar power."

He said that SCHOTT Solar recognised the potential of CSP at an early stage and aligned its strategy accordingly.

"By combining all of the solar know-how of the SCHOTT corporation at the SCHOTT Solar GmbH, we are able to achieve even greater impact, while strengthening our profile as an integrated and globally active solar corporation," added Dr. Heming.