Date: 22/12/2011

Solar PV manufacturing equipment market continue to decline in 2011

Solar photovoltaic manufacturing equipment, which is an offshoot of semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry is experiencing decline as per latest book-to-bill report from industry body SEMI. It has reported that for the quarter ending September 30, 2011, the worldwide photovoltaic manufacturing equipment book-to-bill ratio fell to 0.35, reaching its lowest level since the start of the data collection in the first quarter of 2010. Worldwide billings declined 24 percent from the previous quarter to $1.6 billion. Worldwide bookings, which represent net new orders of PV manufacturing equipment, extended the declining trend started in the first quarter of 2011, tumbling another 70 percent for the quarter, according to SEMI.

SEMI says the deteriorating billings and bookings data underscores the overall softening in the global PV industry. After aggressive capital equipment spending across the entire supply chain that characterized 2010 and the early part of 2011, many PV manufacturers have cancelled or put on hold their capacity expansion plans, as challenging market conditions and poor visibility into market expectations continue to overshadow the industry outlook into next year, finds SEMI. SEMI expects the bookings will not significantly improve in the next six months without policy adjustments in Europe, Japan and China, combined with easing of credit markets and improved economic growth.