DuPont Photovoltaic Fluoromaterials Signs Technology Licensing Agreement

DuPont Photovoltaic Fluoromaterials (PVFM) announced it has developed a proprietary technology to produce backsheet containing DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) polymer in a single step, and has signed a Technology Licensing Agreement with Toppan Inc. Printing Co. LTD, located in Tokyo, Japan, to commercialize backsheet for photovoltaic (PV) modules using this new technology. This technical and business development is in line with the PVFM strategic intent to significantly increase the availability of DuPont™ Tedlar® films and backsheet for the fast growing PV market. DuPont  expects commercialization of the new backsheet product from Toppan using this technology in 2010.

“This collaboration combines DuPont’s proprietary technology for Tedlar® polymer in backsheets, with Toppan’s unique coating capability,” said Kelly
Kolliopoulos, global business manager, Tedlar®. “We view the new backsheet technology as complementary to our continuing activities to increase the supply of Tedlar® films in order to meet the industry’s growth and demand for Tedlar®. Increasing capacity continues to be the top priority for this business, and we will continue to communicate further developments related to Tedlar® film expansion planning in the future.”

This technology license follows on the heels of recent manufacturing expansions for DuPont™ Tedlar® polymer and newest Tedlar® PV2100 series films, in addition to incremental expansions of its capacity for Tedlar® PV2000 series film. The capacity for Tedlar® PV2100 films has increased by 20 fold in the last year. DuPont continues planning for future capacity expansions for the Tedlar® monomer, polymer and films it produces.