Nov 9th - Toppan Printing Boosting Solar Cell Protective Sheet Capacity

Toppan Printing Co. plans to raise production capacity for protective sheets used in solar cell panels to 2.5 times current levels next spring.

The company will invest some 5 billion yen to construct a new building at its plant in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, to increase production of protective sheets, which are attached to the back surface of solar panels to keep out dust and moisture and extend panel life. The new facility will expand the plant's floor space to 28,000 sq. meters from 8,000 sq. meters.

Once the expansion is completed in March, the plant will be able to produce enough protective sheets for 5 gigawatts of solar panels each year, compared with 2 gigawatts at present.

Toppan's Fukuya Plant is expected to be at full capacity in the spring.

The Fukaya plant currently makes enough protective sheets for just under 1 gigawatt of panels annually, but demand is climbing rapidly. The company decided to beef up capacity because existing facilities are expected to be at full production next spring.

Toppan Printing is cultivating demand from foreign manufacturers in China and Taiwan, as well as from Sharp Corp. and other domestic manufacturers. It aims to increase its overseas sales ratio for protective sheets to 60-70%, up from around 40% at present.