PVTIME – As of 1 September, the German operations of Swiss solar cell manufacturer Meyer Burger have come to a standstill. The company was unable to secure investment for its two German factories, resulting in the cessation of all business activities. This has left nearly 500 employees facing redundancy.
Flöther & Wissing, the law firm overseeing the bankruptcy administration, disclosed that investment processes initiated by Meyer Burger’s two German subsidiaries, Meyer Burger Germany GmbH in Hohenstein-Ernstthal near Chemnitz, and Meyer Burger Industries GmbH, a solar cell production firm in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and Hohenstein-Ernstthal, have not yet yielded any results. Despite ongoing negotiations with potential investors by bankruptcy administrators Lucas F. Flöther and Reinhard Klose, no positive developments have been reported.
At Meyer Burger Germany GmbH in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 206 employees have been made redundant, with only 62 retained to assist with winding-up operations. The situation is even more severe at Meyer Burger Industries GmbH, where 271 employees have lost their jobs and only 38 remain as part of the liquidation team. Employees with special dismissal protection will also see their employment terminated as soon as the relevant authority approves it.
Reinhard Klose expressed regret over the inability to offer more employment opportunities. He commended the employees for their professionalism during these difficult times, emphasising that the company’s troubles are not their fault. However, there is a glimmer of hope: if investors emerge in the near future, the dismissed employees may have a chance of being rehired.
Lucas F. Flöther stated that the bankruptcy administrators are open to additional investment offers and ready to restart negotiations. However, there are currently no signs of new investment interest. He also drew attention to the challenging economic climate currently facing the solar industry in Germany and across Europe. Since their appointment, Flöther and Klose have been working tirelessly to find potential investors, but with limited success.
The shutdown will impact the livelihoods of the affected employees and serves as an indicator of the state of the broader European solar industry. Once leaders in technological development, European solar firms now face intense competition from their Asian counterparts. Cost inefficiencies and shrinking market shares, compounded by policy uncertainties in the region, make it difficult for these companies to make investment decisions and plan production capacity.
The future of Meyer Burger’s German operations hinges on the intervention of new investors, as does the path forward for the European solar industry in overcoming these challenges. Both will be closely monitored in the coming months.
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