Image：Array Technologies 

US solar tracker and balance-of-system provider Array Technologies has launched a new manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Invested at USD 50 million and spanning 20,000 square metres, the new plant nearly triples the size of Array’s existing Albuquerque site and boosts its in-house manufacturing capacity for core hardware components.

“Array was founded here in Albuquerque, and manufacturing has been at the heart of our company from the beginning,” commented Kevin Hostetler, CEO of Array Technologies. “This investment reflects our confidence in the future of Array, our commitment to our customers and our continued belief in American solar manufacturing. By expanding what we can produce here at home, we are strengthening our supply chain, creating skilled career opportunities and building capabilities that will help us serve our customers for years to come.”

Built based on lean manufacturing principles, the factory allows Array to produce key components internally that were previously outsourced. Several of these locally manufactured components meet the criteria for the US 45X manufacturing tax credit, which incentivises domestically produced goods.

The facility is projected to create approximately 300 jobs covering stamping press operators, tooling and die technicians, and process engineers.

Like peers Nexpower and Gamechange, Array is transforming from a dedicated solar tracker maker into an integrated supplier delivering PV plant hardware, technology and related services. While Array’s product portfolio expansion has been relatively cautious compared with its two major competitors, the firm recently wrapped up the acquisition of Affordable Wire Management, a provider of wiring and balance-of-system solutions.