Setting new standards in PV systems

Schweizer is a privately owned company that was founded in 1920 and was among the first in the 1970s to pioneer the development of solar thermal collectors and later on with photovoltaic (PV) mounting systems. Philip Yorke talked to Dr Helge Hartwig, the company’s head of PV systems, about its continuing drive for sustainable energy efficiency and its move into new markets.

Schweizer Metallbau was founded in Switzerland in 1920 and began by making letterboxes for the Swiss market.

As a privately owned family business, Schweizer remains the clear brand leader in this niche market in Switzerland. In the following years, the company saw strong growth in its range of building products, such as facades and aluminium window frames and doors. However, in 1977, the son of Ernst Schweizer, Hans Ruedi Schweizer, convinced his father to begin the production of solar collectors. This was a bold step as it was at a time when solar technology was in its infancy. However, Hans Ruedi Schweizer was convinced that solar collectors would provide an important contribution to sustainable energy in the future and visualised its growing importance and success.

This vision proved correct and today the company, with over 650 employees, is one of the technology leaders for solar thermal and PV mounting systems for roof integration and has partners in most European countries. Despite difficult trading conditions due to the economic slowdown, Schweizer AG Metallbau recorded sales of more than CHF–155 million in 2011.

Perfecting advanced integration

As one of the early pioneers of advanced solar energy systems, Schweizer Metallbau offers a comprehensive range of products and services. These include collector fields, combi in-roof systems, BIPV Sunpower modules for the Swiss market and complete solar systems, as well as comprehensive service and maintenance programmes. The company’s extensive in-house R&D department continues to push the boundaries of solar technology to new levels of efficiency and economy for the benefit of end users and the environment alike.

Mr Hartwig said, “We began exporting our solar thermal collectors in 1978 and today produce more than 100,000m2 of PV mounting systems for roof integration per year. We were the pioneers in the development of PV mounting systems at a time when the concept of solar power was not readily accepted by the energy industry at large. Initially, we went directly to the installers as they did not have their own integrated mounting systems. Today as leading OEMs, we supply complete roof integration systems to the entire sustainable energy industry through both our European and Asian partners.

“In addition, we are constantly working to develop new systems that can adapt to suit local roof types wherever they might be. We maintain our technological lead through a programme of continuous investment and innovation. Recently we invested more than €1 million in new automated production lines for our PV frames. This new automated technology provides greater efficiency in terms of performance as well as offering more cost-efficient manufacturing processes, with the resulting savings being passed onto customers.

“Furthermore, as an OEM provider we have a large number of clients who put their own brand name on the products that they buy-in from us and this ‘private label’ business represents a growing market for Schweizer, especially outside the European theatre.”

Mr Hartwig added, “The European market is consolidating, with many of the smaller operators either going out of business or being taken over by the larger companies in Asia. The German market has also been a difficult one for some time due to the obstacles that existed until recently that concerned taxes and insurance issues, which made it uneconomic for many producers to go for roof integration in spite of their undoubted aesthetical and functional advantages. However, recently these rules have changed to offer a more level playing field with the rest of Europe. When it comes to increasing our global reach, we are initially looking at extending our presence in eastern Europe to countries such as Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria. Following on from that we are seeking to increase our presence in some of the world’s biggest markets, such as the USA, Japan and China.”

Delivering a sustainable vision

At the heart of every product and throughout its production processes Schweizer’s principle of sustainability dominates its business activities. The company’s products are designed to support consumers by offering them more energy-efficient living and a better quality of life. To enhance this overriding dedication to sustainability, the company has created a management vehicle called, ‘Schweizer Excellence Points’ or ‘SEP’. This mandate involves guaranteeing reliability and innovation throughout the diverse range of products and services that it offers. This is in addition to ensuring fairness and responsibility with its employees and partners, as well as providing care for the environment at all levels. These standards apply to all four of the company’s divisions which include solar energy systems, facades, wood/metal systems windows and letterboxes and solar energy systems.

Today Schweizer Metallbau delivers a wide range of products developed for office buildings and factories, as well as for private houses. In the building industry in Switzerland there are big changes taking place in the process and implementation of new sustainability standards. In the building industry in Europe, there are big changes taking place in the process and implementation of new sustainability standards. New support schemes such as net metering, tax reduction, special credits or requirements for energy efficiency are replacing traditional feed-in-tariffs. To achieve its high benchmark goals, the company believes that the most important thing is the personal will and determination of its management and staff to achieve optimal results, and by doing so to inspire others to follow suit. n

For further information on Schweizer Metallbau products and services, visit: www.schweizer-metallbau.ch