Applied Materials Ends Thin-Film Line, Plans $400M Restructuring
Applied Materials announced today it will discontinue sales of its SunFab thin-film solar panels and restructure its business at a cost of about $400 million and 400 to 500 positions.
The company plans to focus on its crystalline silicon solar and LED lighting instead. Applied Materials Chief Executive Officer Mike Splinter said several factors have hurt the thin-film market:
While Applied has delivered significant innovations with our SunFab production line and made substantial progress on our technology roadmap, the thin film market has been negatively impacted by several factors, including delays in utility-scale solar adoption, solar panel manufacturers’ challenges in obtaining affordable capital, changes and uncertainty in government renewable energy policies, and competitive pressure from crystalline silicon technologies
