Ice Industries Signs Additional Contract with First Solar

Attribution: David Shankbone Ice Industries has secured another extended-duration deal to provide First Solar with panel parts and is set to channel close to $10 million into a Louisiana site. This investment will be for the production of steel back rails designated for modules created at First Solar’s all-inclusive production site located in Iberia Parish, with the aim to commence deliveries to the market by the year 2026. The Louisiana site represents Ice Industries’ second establishment focused on roll forming that caters exclusively to First Solar by producing back rails for their Series 7 modules. In 2022, Ice inaugurated its new Bowling Green, Ohio site, which is dedicated to providing First Solar’s production plant in Lake Township, Ohio, with back rails constructed from locally sourced steel. Mike Koralewski, the Chief Supply Chain Officer at First Solar, highlighted the company’s commitment to domestic sourcing, noting that their Series 7 modules are already built using entirely American-produced glass and steel, with the vast majority of their parts obtained from within their U.S. supplier network. He added that as First Solar grows, it is vital that their supply chains evolve in tandem to support their expansions into Louisiana and Alabama and to bolster the wider economic benefits through job creation and added economic value. Ice intends to begin manufacturing within the initial six months of the upcoming year, as they are currently engaged in choosing a location.