SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for 40 years, today announced its alignment with an industry trend away from use of long rails in mounting solar panels and toward rail-free racking in light of the latter’s cost savings in materials, labor, storage and shipping. Innovative rail-free racking attaches the solar panels directly to individual roof mounts, instead of conventional, long rails.

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An installation specialist adjusts Quick Mount PV's Quick Rack rail-free rack system in this residen ...

An installation specialist adjusts Quick Mount PV's Quick Rack rail-free rack system in this residential installation of SolarWorld solar panels in Alamo, California. (Photo: Business Wire)

“Rail-free residential racking fits well into SolarWorld’s portfolio of the best solar products on the market,” said Ardes Johnson, U.S. vice president of sales and marketing for SolarWorld. “Our rail-free racking systems offer lower material costs, reduce installation time on often hot roofs, take up a much smaller warehouse footprint, cost significantly less to ship and, at the end of the job, look better.”

In SolarWorld’s drive to bring the market’s best products to installers, SolarWorld announced an alliance with Quick Mount PV, a leading U.S. manufacturer of solar roof mounts based in Walnut Creek, Calif. Quick Mount’s patented Quick Rack rail-free system upholds the company’s best-in-class standards of quality and customer experience.

“Quick Mount is honored to be a part of this select group of racking vendors and industry elite,” said Anne Wright, vice president of sales for Quick Mount. “SolarWorld and Quick Mount have the same values and standards that installers can bank on: made in America, commitment to quality, customer support, training and manufacturing excellence. With simplified ordering from SolarWorld, we believe installers can save time and money on every installation, and sell more solar. When good companies work together, the industry moves forward.”

As a result of the alliance, SolarWorld will offer the Quick Rack rail-free systems alongside other best-in-industry residential, commercial and utility-scale solar products.

“SolarWorld is carrying out its history of providing products that live up to the high expectations and requirements of its customers and partners,” Johnson said. “We are committed to providing whatever level of support that our customers need to help them have more success in an increasingly competitive landscape.”

About SolarWorld REAL VALUE: SolarWorld manufactures and sells high-tech solar power solutions and, in doing so, contributes to a cleaner energy supply worldwide. The group, headquartered in Bonn, Germany, employs about 3,500 people and carries out production in Freiberg, Germany; Arnstadt, Germany; and Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. From raw material silicon to solar wafers, cells and modules, SolarWorld manages all stages of production ‒ including its own research and development. Through an international distribution network with locations in the United States, Europe, Singapore, Japan and South Africa, SolarWorld supplies customers all over the world. The company maintains high social standards at all locations across the globe, and it has committed itself to resource- and energy-efficient production. SolarWorld was founded in 1998 and has been publically traded on the stock market since 1999. Connect with SolarWorld on Facebook, Twitter and www.solarworld.com.

About Quick Mount PV

Quick Mount PV manufactures 100 percent code-compliant, waterproof solar mounting systems for installing solar electric and solar hot water systems on residential and commercial rooftops. Quick Mount PV was founded on the principle that the mounting system is just as critical to the success of a solar installation as the modules and inverters. Since 2006, Quick Mount PV has advanced rooftop solar through its innovative, high-quality waterproof mounting systems. With industry-leading R&D, engineering, product testing and ISO 9001:2008-certified manufacturing in California, Quick Mount PV is committed to producing the industry’s most advanced solar mounting systems. For more information, visit www.quickmountpv.com.