2020 cell shipment ranking: Tongwei maintains leading position

Tongwei secured the top spot of the global cell shipment ranking in 2020, according to data compiled by InfoLink. The full-year 2020 report saw little change compared with the first-half report, with Aiko securing the second place, followed by Runery, Lu’an and Solar Space.

The top five largest cell manufacturers shipped around 55 GW of cells last year, with shipment of each manufacturer having grown more than 60% compared with 2019. They reflect an increasingly concentration trend in the cell segment.

This year, the transition to large wafers is accelerated by manufacturers strategically. Not only Tier-1 cell manufacturers but Tier-2 and Tier-3 makers ramp up capacity to stay competitive in the market. Vertically integrated companies also expand capacity to achieve supply chain consolidation effectively. As a result, mono PERC cell capacity will become increasingly excessive, doubling the capacity in 2020.

In the face of surplus supply, professional cell manufacturers have begun to form alliances and sign long-term orders since the second half of 2020. Some manufacturers are also planning actively the roadmap for n-type capacity. Clearly, strategies play a key role in the market concentration.