First Solar President Bruce Sohn slated to speak at upcoming international PV conference in Munich on June 8

First Solar, global thin-film leader, reports stunning Q1 results prior to start of Solarplaza’s “The Solar Future” Conference

Rotterdam, The Netherlands — Arizona-based thin-film manufacturer First Solar continues to defy sales expectations and industry standards in a global recession that’s toppled many of the world’s PV leaders.

In the first three months of 2010, First Solar wracked up more than $568 million in sales, a whopping 36 percent increase over the same period last year, according to the company’s most recent earnings report.

While those results represent a slight decrease from the last quarter of 2009, the company continues to accomplish impressive growth. The First Solar Board of Directors has even approved an additional four line manufacturing plant with an annual capacity of more than 220 MW, expected to be up and running by the fourth quarter of 2011.

How has First Solar managed to accomplish such impressive growth in a year that’s shuttered competitors? What’s the company’s secret to becoming one of the world’s largest solar manufacturers?

Read More : Source : Energetica-India : International Magazine on Renewable & Conventional Power Generation | Transmission | Distribution