Speaking to the Anatolia news agency yesterday, Arslan also noted that the factory, which is being established in a 50-50 partnership between AYT and the German Sitizn Group Holding AG, will be the first solar panel-producing plant in Turkey.
He said his company convinced Sitizn to construct the plant in Turkey after six months of lobbying. Sitizn had first planned to invest in Poland and later turned its sights on Greece, but eventually decided to enter Turkey, Arslan noted.
"The factory will not produce for the Turkish domestic market alone but is eying consumers all around the world. At present, Europe has a large portion of its solar energy needs produced in China; however, products arrive late from China to Europe owing to the long distance, usually between eight to 10 weeks later at the earliest. So our facilities will provide an advantage in that sense," Arslan argued.
The German company has all required patents and licenses in solar technology, the general manager underlined. He further added that the partners are planning to combine three different high technology procedures of solar energy panel manufacturing -- monocrystal, policrystal and thin-film -- under a single roof at their Tavşanlı manufacturing plant.
The factory will initially employ 250 people, and the number of workers will increase to 750 by 2013.
