3M Jumping on China Solar Bandwagon 3M进军中国太阳能产业

In an interesting development for China’s solar industry, US manufacturing heavyweight 3M (NYSE: MMM) is jumping into the crowded market with plans to build a major solar products plant in Anhui province. (press release) While it does look like this venture is designed to supply rather than compete with major solar cell makers like Suntech (NYSE: STP), Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL) and JA Solar (Nasdaq: JASO), most of the majors do have investments of one kind or another in solar materials. It’s also interesting to note the expansion of such a major global player in this market, joining a handful of other multinationals like Fluor (NYSE: FLR). In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this new plant use some of 3M’s wide resources to provide serious competition with existing players, all clamoring for a piece of the pie as China ramps up its spending on solar energy.

Bottom line: 3M’s new solar investment in China underscores the growing importance of the China market to development of the global sector.

美国制造业大佬3M要进入本已拥挤不堪的中国太阳能市场，计划在安徽省建立一个大规模太阳能产品生产厂。乍看来，这家工厂似乎是要为尚德<STP.N>、天合<TSL.N>、晶澳<JASO.O>等中国主要的太阳能电池生 产商提供原料、而不是与它们竞争，但这些中国大企业其实也都乐涉足太阳能原材料投资。所以，如果3M将利用自己的广阔资源来与中国太阳能企业展开激烈竞 争，也丝毫不足为奇。

一句话：3M投资中国太阳能产业显示了中国市场对於全球太阳能产业的重要性。

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