DGAP-News: SolarWorld AG / Key word(s): Strategic Company Decision/Miscellaneous SolarWorld AG strengthens its competitiveness 10.02.2017 / 13:35 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SolarWorld AG strengthens its competitiveness Focusing on monocrystalline high-efficiency products In the course of 2017, SolarWorld AG is going to focus its business activities in such a way that the group will successfully compete in a fast changing market environment. With a bundle of measures, SolarWorld will continue its quality strategy and concentrate entirely on the production and sale of high-efficiency products based on monocrystalline silicon technology and PERC (passivated emitter rear cell). The production of multicrystalline wafers, cells and modules, the efficiencies of which are lower for technological reasons, are going to be shut down in the course of 2017. The group's R&D subsidiary SolarWorld Innovations GmbH will focus on efficiency-enhancing processes that can be combined with PERC. Today, SolarWorld already offers Bisun modules, which turn sunlight into power from the front and the back side and are a further development of PERC. "Whoever buys SolarWorld shall get high efficiency - always," says Dr.-Ing. E. h. Frank Asbeck, CEO of SolarWorld AG. "We will compete successfully by focusing exclusively on innovative solar technology with the highest quality, longevity and efficiency." Measures include plans to bundle steps of the value chain at individual sites: crystal growing and cell manufacturing in Arnstadt, Thuringia, wafering and module manufacturing in Freiberg, Saxony. Thus, the group can reach economies of scale faster, reduce redundancies, simplify processes and create room for future growth. The smaller production entities for modules in Arnstadt and for cells in Freiberg will be relocated. At the U.S. site in Hillsboro, SolarWorld is already exclusively producing PERC cells and modules. These measures will lead to lower expenses for production, sales and overhead and a staff reduction of about 400 by 2019. In parallel, SolarWorld is going to invest a mid-double-digit million amount in the continuous expansion and the improvement of its high efficiency technologies. Dr.-Ing. E. h. Frank Asbeck: "These measures will decrease costs and increase efficiency significantly. Our aim is to come out of the difficult phase for the solar market stronger than before and to raise module shipments to about 2 gigawatts by 2019." Interview: An interview with Dr.-Ing. E. h. Frank Asbeck on the focusing measures is available on the media pages of SolarWorld's website at: http://www.solarworld.de/en/press/interview SolarWorld REAL VALUE: SolarWorld manufactures and sells high-tech solar power solutions and in doing so contributes to a cleaner energy supply worldwide. The group, headquartered in Bonn, Germany, employs 3,288 people and operates facilities in Freiberg, Germany; Arnstadt, Germany; and Hillsboro, Oregon, USA as well as in a joint venture with Qatar Solar Technologies. From raw material silicon to solar wafers, cells and modules, SolarWorld manages all stages of production ‒ including research and development in its own company, SolarWorld Innovations. Through an international distribution network with locations in Europe, USA, Singapore, Japan, South Africa and Qatar, SolarWorld supplies customers all over the world. The company upholds high social standards and commits itself to resource- and energy-efficient production. With its program Solar2World, the company supports the expansion of solar power in developing countries. SolarWorld was founded in 1998 and has been publicly traded on the stock market since 1999. More information at www.solarworld.com Contact: SolarWorld AG Timo Glatz Martin-Luther-King-Str. 24 53175 Bonn/ Germany Phone: +49 228 55920-409 Email: [email protected] Web: www.solarworld.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10.02.2017 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: SolarWorld AG Martin-Luther-King-Straße 24 53175 Bonn Germany Phone: +49 (0)228 - 559 20 470 Fax: +49 (0)228 - 559 20 9470 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.solarworld.de ISIN: DE000A1YCMM2, DE000A1YDDX6, DE000A1YCN14 WKN: A1YCMM, A1YDDX, A1YCN1 Listed: Regulated Market in Dusseldorf, Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 543723 10.02.2017