Roth & Rau AG has sold all of the shares in Roth & Rau CTF Solar GmbH (CTF) to a Chinese investor. The two parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality concerning the purchase price. Roth & Rau is thus also taking leave of its technology for manufacturing thin-film solar modules on a Cadmium Telluride basis (CdTe). Roth & Rau has at the same time sold a coating system for the deposition of cadmium sulphide and cadmium telluride absorber films to the Chinese investor. This system is to be supplied at the beginning of the third quarter of 2012. Roth & Rau will subsequently accompany the project through the ramp-up stage and in its further technological development. The project is scheduled for completion by mid-2013.

By selling CTF, the company has consistently pressed ahead with implementing the strategic realignment and resultant streamlining of its product portfolio decided at the start of the year. Since the beginning of 2011, Roth & Rau has been offering its customers equipment and technology packages referred to as “system solutions”, rather than products based on the traditional turnkey concept. Explains Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO of Roth & Rau AG, “We have thus already got off to a successful start in the crystalline silicon technology business. We will be consistently maintaining the same course in our thin film business, focusing here as well in future on our core competence in the field of coating equipment. Cadmium telluride coating represents the key component in the production of cadmium telluride solar modules. To date, we are the only company in the world to offer this equipment and are thus superbly positioned to benefit from growth in the cadmium telluride market. We have already agreed a long-term cooperation with the acquirer of CTF.” Following the successful completion of the pilot project, it is planned to supply a further four coating systems.