Wood Mackenzie has ranked NextPower as the world’s leading PV tracker manufacturer based on first-half 2025 data, ahead of China’s Trina Tracker in second place and US-based Array in third. The league table assessed 24 tracker manufacturers headquartered across five countries.
The ranking uses a new score-based methodology that de-emphasizes shipment volume in favor of execution quality. ESG and corporate social responsibility carried the highest weighting at 30%, followed by aftersales service and warranty performance at 15%, research and development at 15%, and supply chain stability at 15%. Capacity utilization accounted for 10%, while third-party certifications, financial conditions and manufacturing experience each contributed 5%.
“While shipment volume remains an important indicator of market presence, our assessment demonstrates that long-term competitiveness is defined by much more than that, including sustainability, supply chain resilience, and after-sales service capabilities,” Timothy Shen, senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, told pv magazine. “The fact that companies such as NextPower, Trina Tracker and Array Technologies lead the rankings highlights how execution across multiple markets has become critical in today’s environment. The competitive landscape is tight, and manufacturers must consistently follow industry best practices to maintain leadership.”
“Furthermore, nearly all global tracker shipments are now delivered by manufacturers meeting Grade A thresholds. Excellence is therefore not optional; it is expected,” he went on to say. As pricing pressure and regional trade complexity continue into 2026, differentiation in manufacturers will come from technology innovation, reliability, and the ability to support customers across diverse markets.”
All top 10 manufacturers are headquartered in China, the United States or Spain, highlighting a high degree of geographic concentration. After NextPower, Trina Tracker and Array, the list includes Spain’s PV Hardware, China’s Antai, US-based GameChange, China’s Versolsolar, Spain’s Solar Steel, China’s Arctech, and Spain’s Soltec.
Wood Mackenzie said the results underline an increasingly consolidated tracker market. It found that 99% of global tracker shipments are supplied by so-called Grade A manufacturers, defined as companies meeting at least five of the firm’s benchmark performance criteria. The Grade A group spans suppliers headquartered in China, the United States, Spain and Germany, including NextPower, Trina Tracker, Array, PV Hardware, Solar Steel and Soltec, as well as Flexrack, Valmont, Schletter and Ideematec.
The firm said procurement priorities are shifting, with ESG performance and service quality emerging as key differentiators. Six of the top 10 manufacturers hold an EcoVadis bronze rating or higher, while leading suppliers have tightened warranty terms and aftersales support to reduce long-term asset risk. Wood Mackenzie also noted accelerated regional assembly strategies, particularly among Chinese manufacturers expanding overseas to manage steel price volatility, trade policy uncertainty and logistics disruption.
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