Smit Ovens has passed the equivalent of a two-gigawatt milestone. Smit Ovens manufactures customized ovens used to manufacture solar cells. To date, the company has sold enough ovens to manufacture two gigawatts worth of solar energy cells in a year.

Founded in the Netherlands in 1936, Smit Ovens has long specialized in supplying custom thermal equipment for the glass, electronics and photovoltaics industries. So far, the company has successfully completed 32 installations for thin-film photovoltaics manufacturers worldwide.

"We believe solar energy will make a key contribution, thus we are delighted to support manufacturers moving into mass production of thin-film solar devices and solar heat exchangers...," said Wiro Zijlmans, the president of Smit Ovens. "Through close partnerships with existing customers and research specialists, we have built up extensive expertise in processes and materials. This know-how gives both us — and our customers — a valuable commercial advantage in this increasingly competitive market."

As the solar industry has experienced increasing success, so have the companies that provide equipment and otherwise support the industry as a whole. Smit Ovens is only one example of the companies successfully working with renewable sources of energy, despite a lengthy history in other industries.

Image — Smit Ovens