Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

Fronius expands US operations; aims to become number 1 inverter supplier

Underpinning its U.S. market expansion, Fronius has announced it will begin inverter production at new headquarters in Portage, Indiana soon. The Austrian-based company will also introduce its Fronius Service Program to the U.S.

Thomas Enzendorfer: Fronius will become number one in the U.S. market by 2015.

Solarpraxis/Hans-Christoph Neidlein

Thomas Enzendorfer, sales director Fronius USA, told pv magazine at this year's Solar Power International, which closed its doors yesterday, "The U.S. is our number one market internationally." As such, Fronius plans to begin the manufacture of its photovoltaic inverters in Portage soon. The new location, scheduled to be inaugurated on September 23, will boast a workforce of 100.

US$30 million has been invested in the new facilities, including a $9 million U.S. Department of Energy grant. "We are still in the planning phase how to shape our inverter production there, but we will start production [soon]," Enzendorfer said.

The family owned company will also launch its Fronius Service Programme (FSP). "Already 1,100 US installers are on our waiting list for FSP," said Enzendorfer. He is confident that Fronius will become "number one in the U.S. market by 2015," due to its installers service and "unique" modular inverter concept.

This year, the growth rate of Fronius inverter sales in the U.S. already reached 45 to 50%, according to Enzendorfer. "The main focus of our inverter business in the U.S. will be also in the future small installations with 1 to 12 kWh," he concluded.

Edited by Becky Beetz.