Meyer Burger

Meyer Burger Technology AG is a Swiss solar technology company with roots that long predate the modern photovoltaic industry. Founded in the early 1950s, the company began life as a mechanical engineering business serving the Swiss watch industry, before gradually evolving into a specialist manufacturer of equipment for precision cutting and surface processing. 

For much of its modern history, Meyer Burger was primarily a supplier of manufacturing technology used by solar cell and module producers worldwide. During the rapid expansion of the global solar industry in the 2000s and early 2010s, Meyer Burger became a key player behind the scenes, developing machinery for wafer slicing, cell coating, and module assembly. Many of the panels installed globally during that period were produced using Meyer Burger equipment.

Transition into photovoltaics

The company formally reorganised into a holding structure in 1999 and entered the solar industry the same year, initially by supplying sawing systems for silicon wafers. As demand for solar manufacturing equipment grew, Meyer Burger expanded internationally and broadened its technology portfolio. By the mid-2000s, the group had become a recognised name in photovoltaic production technology and was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in 2006.

A major phase of expansion followed between 2010 and 2012, including the merger with 3S Industries and the integration of Pasan, a specialist in solar cell and module testing systems. Through a series of acquisitions, Meyer Burger aimed to cover the full photovoltaic value chain from wafer to finished module, at least from a manufacturing equipment perspective.

During this period, the company played a notable role in the industrialisation of several important solar technologies, including PERC cell technology and later heterojunction cell architectures. Research and development remained central, with R&D units based in Switzerland and Germany and collaborations with academic and industrial research partners across Europe.

Strategic pivot to panel manufacturing

After years of financial losses and increasing competitive pressure from Asian manufacturers, Meyer Burger announced a significant strategic shift in 2020. Rather than focusing solely on selling manufacturing equipment, the company decided to become a producer of solar cells and modules itself, using its own heterojunction technology and manufacturing expertise.

Production of solar cells and modules began in Germany in 2021, with facilities in Thalheim and Freiberg. Meyer Burger positioned its panels as high-efficiency, European-manufactured products, aimed primarily at residential and commercial rooftop markets rather than large utility-scale projects.

Alongside manufacturing, the company continued to invest heavily in next-generation technologies, including perovskite tandem cells, and held a significant stake in Oxford PV, a spin-out from the University of Oxford focused on advanced solar cell research.

International expansion and challenges

In parallel with its European manufacturing push, Meyer Burger announced plans to expand production into the United States, citing improved investment conditions and incentives. Plans evolved over time, with proposed facilities in Colorado and later Arizona, reflecting shifting strategic priorities and market conditions.

Despite these ambitions, the company faced ongoing financial and competitive challenges. Manufacturing costs in Europe and the United States proved difficult to reconcile with the pricing of imported panels, particularly from Asia. Several expansion plans were paused, revised, or abandoned as market conditions changed.

By 2024 and 2025, these pressures became acute. Meyer Burger halted certain manufacturing operations, closed facilities, and announced significant layoffs. In mid-2025, the company entered insolvency proceedings in Germany and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, citing sustained difficulty competing with lower-cost imports.

Meyer Burger today

Today, Meyer Burger represents a complex case within the solar industry. It is a company with deep technical expertise, a long history of innovation, and a significant influence on how solar panels have been manufactured globally. At the same time, its recent history highlights the structural challenges faced by European and US-based solar manufacturers operating in a highly price-competitive global market.