The merger is touted as creating the world’s largest tracker company, and the move is expected to accelerate Array’s international expansion efforts.
Tracker technology company, Array Technologies, announced that it has acquired another leader in the global tracker space, Soluciones Técnicas Integrales Norland, S.L. (STI Norland), establishing an outfit that Array is touting as the largest tracker company in the world.
STI Norland was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Pamplona, Spain with manufacturing facilities in both Spain and Brazil. The company has made a name for itself with its dual-row tracker system, a solution which is well-suited for installation on irregular terrain and in regions with low wind and/or snow load requirements.
To date the company has shipped or awarded more than 12 gigawatts of trackers, making it a top-three manufacturer in Spain, while also establishing the top market position in Brazil.
According to Brad Forth, Chairman of Array, the acquisition of STI Norland will accelerate the company’s international expansion efforts while enabling Array to keep costs low for international customers.
“We are thrilled to officially join Array—a solar pioneer—as we focus on providing our customers with industry-leading technology and superior service,” said Javier Reclusa, CEO of STI Norland.
Prior to the acquisition, Array was the second largest supplier of trackers worldwide, behind NEXTracker.
Different tracker vendors have different engineering approaches and Array’s one motor per-MW design has allowed for significant price reductions, which the company has credited as being critical to attaining its market share.
According to the company’s S-1 filing, made prior to its 2020 initial public offering: “Array Technologies uses less than one motor per megawatt which compares with more than 25 motors per megawatt for our largest competitor. Using fewer motors per megawatt lowers the cost, reduces the number of failure points, and minimizes the maintenance requirements of our system. Fewer motors per megawatt also reduces the number of motor controllers and the amount of wiring and other ancillary parts that are required for the system, which further reduces cost, simplifies installation and improves reliability.”
