Gehrlicher sees a positive prospect for the company’s Realignment and the Global Solar Market

With the foundation of Gehrlicher Solar Services GmbH in February 2014 and the management buy-out of the Operations and Maintenance business at end of March 2014 an essential basis for the realignment of the Gehrlicher Group was created. The traditional photovoltaic company has long-time customer relationships in the maintenance business, which will continue through the management buy-out. In the Operations and Maintenance business, a total of around 60 contracts with about 200 MWp capacity could be transferred to the new company. Customers like KGAL, one of the leading institutional asset managers from Gruenwald near Munich or CEE, an equity investment company with a particular focus in the areas of renewable energies and cleantech, were convinced to continue to benefit from to the superior service, the technical know-how and the high quality standard of Gehrlicher. The Gehrlicher Solar Services GmbH offers its customers throughout Europe an all-inclusive package of Operations and Maintenance services. Managing Directors of the company are Richard von Hehn and Steffen Licht, who have both been holding a management position in the GSAG for many years. Klaus Gehrlicher, the founder of the group and one of the pioneers of the solar industry, is majority shareholder in the Gehrlicher Solar Services GmbH.

 

Furthermore, all invested capitals and intangible assets of the former Gehrlicher Solar AG, with the exception of the property in Neustadt near Coburg, were taken over by the Gehrlicher Group. Patents, trademarks and brands are thus fully available again to the company group. Together with Gehrlicher Solar Management GmbH, which is responsible for the commercial management of solar parks and investment funds as well as the extensive expertise in the independent unit for the project business, the Gehrlicher Group offers the entire value chain again.

 

"The ultimate goal is to return to the international photovoltaic business and to continue to get involved with our sound experience and expertise in this segment in the market. It helps us that despite all the bad news in recent years, the global photovoltaic market has continued to grow," says Klaus Gehrlicher. He is optimistic that after a tough consolidation phase the entire industry is facing a new solar boom again, especially in sunny countries. In the medium term the global prospects for the future of the photovoltaic industry are excellent – driven by the declining production costs that made solar power internationally more competitive in recent years in comparison to conventional forms of energy. "Thus, our expansion strategy in recent years was just right, as shown by the sales revenue of our former U.S. subsidiary with more than U.S. $ 150 million in 2013. We continue on the basis of this know-how and want to become a global player within the international business environment again."