Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

Schletter ramps up US manufacturing capacity; 60 new jobs created

Photovoltaic mounting system manufacturer, Schletter Inc. has increased its engineering and production capacity at its Arizona production facility. Sixty new jobs have been created.

Schletter's mounting systems factory is located in Tucson, Arizona. Image: Schletter.

Located in Tucson, a spokesperson tells pv magazine that the 75,000 square foot facility has been ramped up from an annual capacity in the triple digit megawatt range to over a gigawatt. "We have truly achieved a highly efficient production operation," they said.

They go on to say that over USD$3 million has been invested in the expansion, in cooperation with local banks. "We are confident in the continued growth of the U.S. solar market and believe grid parity can be achieved through highly efficient automated production practices, which in turn result in lower prices."

In terms of Schletter’s increased engineering capabilities, the spokesperson says that two new engineers and four additional drafters have been employed to keep the company’s "fast" and "consistent" turnaround times.

The extra photovoltaic mounting system capacity has already been accounted for, with Schletter securing several utility-scale projects. "Our largest under production is the 150 MW being produced and installed in Arizona for Zachry Industrial," they explained.

The spokesperson concluded by saying, "With the recent expansion, Schletter is able to lower manufacturing costs by creating a highly efficient lean manufacturing line which incorporates batch fabrication."