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AGC Automotive Induver Morocco lays foundation stone for its automotive glass plant in Kenitra (Morocco)

The foundation stone for the new automotive glass production plant being built for AGC Automotive Induver Morocco was laid on Wednesday 15 March in the presence of the Moroccan minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Moulay Hafid Elalamy, together with many other personalities from the worlds of politics, industry and the media.

Joint venture between AGC Automotive Europe and Induver    
  
The project for the new plant being built at Kenitra in the northern coastal region of the country is the result of a joint venture between AGC Automotive Europe and the Moroccan glass producer Induver. This initiative marks the AGC Group's first operations in Africa. AGC Automotive Induver Morocco will produce toughened glass for backlites and sidelites together with laminated glass for windscreens. The plant will have sufficient capacity to supply around 1,100,000 carsets per year and should be operational in 2019, employing around 600 people.

Plant promises local development  
  
The new plant is ideally situated to meet the demand for automotive glass in North Africa and the South of Europe. It will also benefit from a free trade zone set up to attract companies operating in the automotive industry and so to develop a major industrial concentration in this sector. "Once the AGC culture of automotive excellence has been properly established here, our ambition is to see this plant managed 100% by a local team, in line with our policy in this area," declared Jean-Marc Meunier, General Manager of AGC Automotive Europe. Hakim Abdelmoumen, General Manager of Induver, for his part welcomed the prospect of producing the complete carset (windshields, backlites and sidelites) in large series for the first time in Morocco. "This wider offer will further raise the local content of vehicles built in Morocco and boost the added value created locally."

Hans Thoma, general manager from the Thoma-group, is eager to acquire a substantial market share in Brazil, a growing country with tremendous potential for solar energy output. Having complied with local official procedures (Inmetro, TÜV, Fraunhofer CSP) and cleared the way for future business collaboration, he expresses his hope that the solar industry will henceforth expand quickly.

”Being able to introduce Brazil to the infinite opportunities of a solar industry is a privilege for J.v.G. Thoma GmbH, and one that we are extremely grateful for. At the same time, this placed the ball squarely in our court, and the pressure to get the ball rolling quickly was high. Now that the lengthy initial formalities are out of the way, we can focus on making this project a success.“

The first DESERT solar module production in BRAZIL! Lets go ....
J.v.G. Thoma GmbH is delivering a DESERT turnkey production line to Brazil, the first of its kind and hopefully the first in many breakthroughs to leave the factory floor on their way to the largest country in South America. With a capacity of 30 MW, this is a small semi-automatic DESERT production line, but still a flagship in terms of DESERT solar module production and electricity generation in the country, now fully functional and ready to start with operation.

The machinery consists of DESERT production machines for high-efficiency DESERT solar modules built specifically for extreme hot climate, such as can be seen in deserts or in tropical areas. Made solely in Germany and built using the latest in DESERT and TROPIC module production, the systems inlcudes all cutting-edge technology.

Certified DESERT solar modules, DESERT containers, DESERT power plants and DESERT manufacturing machinery built using pioneering DESERT and TROPICS technology are now fully set up, and ready to perform. But powering on the machinery has been a long time coming. Up until recently, this advanced piece of equipment had been waiting for clearance at a port in Brazil. Now that the formalities have been dealt with, both J.v.G. Thoma and its customer in Brazil can get production under way.

J.v.G. Thoma GmbH is a company whose vision has always been to harness the infinite power of the sun and convert it into an inexhaustible supply of energy. But a vision such as this requires global reach, and this project has opened new doors. Brazil is not only a gateway to South American cooperation, but also the launchpad to international reach and expansion.

Following the delivery of this initial order, J.v.G. Thoma GmbH will be looking forward to an ongoing collaboration with the Brazilian company. From setup and initial training to setting the scene for a ramp up, J.v.G. Thoma will be there to provide expertise and assistance. Moreover, the company will be jointly responsible, along with the client, for the successful integration of the DESERT solar module factory.

In the future, bigger DESERT power plants will be set up on Brazilian soil, and together with existing turnkey production systems, they intend to take up a large share of the products and assets this sector will possess locally. J.v.G. Thoma plans to build up a local network of sales agents that can extend a premium offering to neighbouring countries in South America. Eventually, the company hopes to be able to expand its customer base to clients in North America.

Hans Thoma, general manager from the Thoma-group, is eager to acquire a substantial market share in Brazil, a growing country with tremendous potential for solar energy output. Having complied with local official procedures (Inmetro, TÜV, Fraunhofer CSP) and cleared the way for future business collaboration, he expresses his hope that the solar industry will henceforth expand quickly.

”Being able to introduce Brazil to the infinite opportunities of a solar industry is a privilege for J.v.G. Thoma GmbH, and one that we are extremely grateful for. At the same time, this placed the ball squarely in our court, and the pressure to get the ball rolling quickly was high. Now that the lengthy initial formalities are out of the way, we can focus on making this project a success.“

The first DESERT solar module production in BRAZIL! Let
Source: AGC Glass Europe