euro adhoc: Basler Vision Technologies AG / Strategic management decisions / Basler Enters Solar Market (E)

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01.09.2006

Basler Enters Solar Market

Basler AG, one of the leading companies in the field of Vision Technology (the
technology of machine-based vision), is expanding its business activities in the
Vision Systems corporate division (inspection systems for industrial mass
production) to add inspection solutions for the photovoltaic industry. The new
products will be presented to the public for the first time at the European
Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition which will start next week
in Dresden, Germany (4 - 8 September 2006).

With its products, Basler AG offers manufacturers of raw wafers and solar cells
fully automatic solutions integrated into the production process for important
quality control tasks which until now could not be automated. The main benefit
of the products is the increase in efficiency and the reduction of raw material
consumption in the production of raw wafers and solar cells.

Yesterday Basler has been awarded a first contract by a globally leading solar
cell manufacturer. At the moment, test installations are successfully operating
at several manufacturers. First substantial sales of solar inspection systems
are expected in the financial year 2007.

The solar industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Sales of
solar enterprises are expected to quadruple to more than E15,000 million by
2020 in Germany alone. The fast growing demand for silicon as a raw material
has led to a shortage and a consequential price rise that makes more efficient
usage of the raw material an essential factor for the success of solar
manufacturers. This is where the Basler inspection systems come into play:
Using leading in-house component technology in the field of cameras, computers
and software, the Basler inspection systems can sort out defective raw wafers
and solar cells and thus prevent them being unnecessarily refined further. At
the same time, the test systems supply valuable data which can be used to
continuously improve the control system of the production facility. In this
way, the Basler solutions support the manufacturers in their efforts to reduce
the consumption of raw materials by using thinner raw wafers and to improve the
overall output of the very capital-intensive production facilities.

For entering the solar market, Basler is using its technology and marketing
know-how which is based on more than 5,000 installations for surface testing in
various industries including the flat screen industry where since 2003 Basler
has installed more than 90 systems for the inspection of flat glass and color
filters at the globally leading flat screen manufacturers. With that, Basler
has developed from a newcomer to the market leader.

The step now taken into the solar market is the company's next step in line
with its growth strategy which is that further growth is not only to take place
in growing established markets but also by entering new dynamically developing
markets.

Further inquiry note:
Christian Höck
Tel.: +49 (0)4102 463 175
E-Mail: [email protected]

end of announcement euro adhoc 01.09.2006 09:10:19
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emitter: Basler Vision Technologies AG
An der Strusbek 60-62
D-22926 Ahrensburg
phone: +49 (0) 4102 463 0
FAX: +49 (0) 4102 463 109
mail: [email protected]
WWW: http://www.baslerweb.com
ISIN: DE0005102008
indexes: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse,
free trade: Börse Berlin-Bremen, Hamburger Wertpapierbörse,
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse, Börse Düsseldorf,
Bayerische Börse
sector: Semiconductors & active components
language: English

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