Applied Materials:
buys crystalline silicon company Advent Solar while plans for layoffs
[Amorphous silicon equipment maunfacturer] Applied Materials has acquired the assets of Advent Solar in a quiet no-details-revealed deal, apparently in a move to bolster the company's crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology position (...) For Applied, combining Advent's [emitter wrap through solar cells] technology with its automated wafering and cell production equipment will help "deliver systems that will enhance customers’ c-Si roadmaps and accelerate the reduction in cost per watt of solar electricity," noted Mark Pinto, CTO/GM of Applied's Energy and Environmental Solutions Group.
In the meantime, Applied materials plans to cut about 10 percent to 12 percent of its workforce and expects it solar business to break even at least in the coming year.