Voltaix, a provider of materials that enhance the performance of semiconductor chips and solar cells, announced today that it has received $12.5 million in financing from Intel Capital, the global investment arm of Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC). The investment will be used to accelerate the company’s manufacturing capacity expansion.
Voltaix manufactures electronic chemicals and gases used in ‘front-end’ semiconductor manufacturing processes. The company is also a market leader in the supply of CVD precursors for production of advanced photovoltaic cells.
"We have provided critical materials for semiconductor and thin film solar applications for more than twenty-five years," said Dr. John P. de Neufville, president of Voltaix and an early contributor to amorphous materials research. "We believe that thin film solar cell production, particularly products that can support Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), is poised for significant expansion. This financing will help enable us to construct a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to meet growing demand for thin film energy technologies."
According to Deutsche Bank estimates, production of thin film photovoltaics (using amorphous silicon, CdTe and CIGS technologies) will increase more than four-fold between 2007 and 2010. Yole Development estimates that the market segment for thin film photovoltaics will reach $6.7 billion by 2015.
About Voltaix
Voltaix sells its products through the major international gas distributors and is recognized worldwide for excellence in the synthesis and production of high purity gases and chemicals that enhance the performance of electronic, photonic and solar devices. The company, the former ChemOvonic Division of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENER) was spun off as an independent business in 1986. In 1998 the company acquired Florida Scientific Laboratories, Inc. Today, Voltaix operates facilities in Branchburg, NJ and High Springs, FL.
About Intel Capital
Intel Capital, Intel’s global investment organization, makes equity investments in innovative technology start-ups and companies worldwide. Intel Capital invests in a broad range of companies offering hardware, software, and services targeting enterprise, home, mobility, health, consumer internet, semiconductor manufacturing and cleantech. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more than US$7.5 billion in approximately 1,000 companies in 45 countries. In that timeframe, 168 portfolio companies have gone public on various exchanges around the world and 212 were acquired or participated in a merger. In 2007, Intel Capital invested about US$639 million in 166 deals with approximately 37% of funds invested outside the United States. For more information on Intel Capital and its differentiated advantages, visit www.intelcapital.com.
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