Honorable Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Visits Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. and Tours United Solar Ovonic's State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Facility
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke today visited the Auburn Hills manufacturing facility of United Solar Ovonic, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENER) ("ECD"), a manufacturer of proprietary, thin-film amorphous silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) laminates, branded under the UNI-SOLAR(R) name.
Secretary Locke, as well as representatives of Governor Jennifer Granholm, Congressman Gary Peters, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation ("MEDC") were given a brief tour of the facility to show how UNI-SOLAR laminates are produced. Following the tour, Secretary Locke hosted a town-hall meeting for approximately 50 employees of United Solar and ECD to discuss the role of Department of Commerce in nurturing innovation, expanding the global market for U.S. manufacturers, and the important role solar energy plays in creating a cleaner environment and mitigating global warming.
Mark Morelli, ECD's president and CEO, said, "We were pleased to have an opportunity to show Secretary Locke our state-of-the-art solar manufacturing facility. Our flexible, lightweight solar laminates can play an important role in advancing the Obama administration's alternative energy program. We look forward to working with Secretary Locke, particularly in expanding emerging markets for our technologically-advanced solar products."
During the town-hall meeting, Secretary Locke remarked, "The Obama administration is committed to revitalizing American manufacturing - and a big part of how we do that is building solar panels, wind turbines and advanced batteries right here in the Midwest. The Commerce Department will directly assist the small- and medium-size businesses across America who are at the vanguard of America's renewable energy future."
About Energy Conversion Devices
Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) (NASDAQ: ENER) is the leader in building integrated and commercial rooftop photovoltaics, one of the fastest growing segments of the solar power industry. The company manufactures and sells thin-film solar laminates that convert sunlight to energy using proprietary technology. ECD's UNI-SOLAR(R) brand products are unique because of their flexibility, light weight, ease of installation, durability, and real-world efficiency. ECD also pioneers other alternative technologies, including a new type of nonvolatile digital memory technology that is significantly faster, less expensive, and ideal for use in a variety of applications including cell phones, digital cameras and personal computers. For more information, please visit www.ovonic.com.
