ATS opens Canada’s first solar energy manufacturing facility

ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. has applied its knowledge of manufacturing and automation to the solar energy market, developing a full-scale solar cell manufacturing plant for its Spheral Solar division which opened in June in Cambridge, ON.
ATS’s Spheral Solar Power technology was developed using largely Canadian scientific and engineering expertise, and is considered a major breakthrough for the global photovoltaic industry.
ATS is also a designer and producer of automated manufacturing systems, and producer of precision plastic components and sub-assemblies.
The Spheral Solar cells incorporate silicon and aluminum film. They are pliable, lightweight, durable, and can be manufactured in a variety of colors to integrate with traditional building materials.
ATS first entered the solar energy market with the purchase of Photowatt International S.A. of France in 1997. The company announced its intention to commercialize the Spheral Solar technology in July 2002.