We are privileged to make a positive contribution to the energy transition towards renewable energies and a green future. For us, sustainability means not only durable and long-lasting products, but also environmental awareness and responsibility for the world of tomorrow.

Everything we do is geared towards the goal of minimizing our ecological footprint and offering only state-of-the-art photovoltaic solutions. This is achieved through optimized production processes and efficient quality and supply chain management. As an ISO-certified company, it is particularly important for us to comply with environmental requirements and regulations.

Our quality management system is certified according to ISO 9001:2015. In addition, the performance consistency of our products for steel and aluminium supporting structures is regularly assessed and confirmed according to EN1090 up to design class 2+.  

Measures to reduce the carbon footprint:

The future of photovoltaics looks bright. Many countries report new records in installed photovoltaic capacity every year. And there is certainly a logical explanation for this. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) published last month. World Energy Outlook 2020 Report notes that solar energy has become the "new king of electricity" by offering the cheapest electricity yet in human history. According to the publication, the cost per megawatt of solar is now below that of fossil fuels for the first time. In numbers, newly built utility-scale solar projects in Europe and the U.S. now cost $30-60 per MWh. Just four years ago, the figure for the above electricity generation cost (LCOE) of solar was $100, which is an excellent illustration of progress. In comparison, the report mentions that the LCOE for gas is up to 90 USD/MWh and for coal up to 120 USD/MWh.

The report presents four primary scenarios for the development of global energy production. Renewable energy sources will experience strong growth through 2040 in all four scenarios; the primary scenario includes 43 % more solar energy output, as originally projected in the 2018 report. The scenarios are projected using data analyzed by the World Energy Model (WEM). This large-scale simulation model is designed to match the functions of global energy markets and by using huge amounts of data to generate estimates for world energy markets. The "Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2020-2024" also agrees with the IEA's view, pointing out that utility-scale solar often offers the lowest-cost technology for power generation, with costs continuing to decline in the future.

What makes solar energy a cost-effective energy source?

The World Energy Outlook 2020 report additionally notes that significant cost reductions in solar PV over the past decade have made solar energy a consistently less expensive form of energy than coal or gas, for example, in most countries. There are several reasons for this. One reason is cheaper and easier access to capital in leading markets, made possible by supportive policies and mature technologies. In addition, major advances in solar technologies play an important role. For example, PV module performance has improved significantly-smaller modules can offer higher energy yields, longer lifetimes, better recycling capabilities, and lower manufacturing costs. To give an example, in 2010 a standard PV module cost about $2.00/watt, while today it is about $0.17/watt. In addition, battery, storage and grid connection technologies are improving and becoming more cost effective in a timely manner, which is extremely important for the flexible operation of PV systems. Solar plant sizes have also grown since the early 2000s, leading to improved economies of scale and thus cost reductions.

In terms of supporting policies, it is clear that the common climate goals of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) increasingly steer the path of policy toward solar and wind, while coal, oil, gas, and other more polluting forms of energy are being phased out and not as heavily subsidized. Currently, more than 130 countries already have policies in place to help lower the cost of new solar installations. The EU alone has set a goal of generating 32% of its total energy from renewable sources by 2030. However, the road to achieving net zero global CO2 emissions is long, and it won't happen overnight. It will require persistent effort and collaboration among governments, political actors, businesses and individuals.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

"Give and accept feedback: See it as an opportunity, take it up and use it" is listed by our partner, the Nordwest Industrie Group, in fourth place among its ten values. But what is the best way to give this feedback? And how do you motivate your employees to independently identify process slowdowns and pass them on to management?

The answer to this is provided by the Lean & Kaizen process, which is particularly emphasized at the NWI and is being used more and more in many areas. A process that aims to manifest an efficient design of the entire value chain with the help of certain methods, thought patterns and systems.

Starting a few years ago at Mounting Systems, we have been implementing more and more processes according to the Lean & Kaizen method in recent years. Exactly these steps, which bring us further and further in the direction of Lean Management, we want to highlight in the following text.

The introduction of lean structures

The correct, meaningful implementation of Lean and Kaizen topics, is a development that Mounting Systems had to advance step by step. Especially at the beginning of the structural change, a rethinking was required, which was not always met with positive criticism. The change and the introduction of new structures is always connected with an overthrow of the old ones.

Nevertheless, the measures that promote a working atmosphere are obvious: the responsibility of the individual is emphasized within lean structures, communication and teamwork are given priority, and each individual slowly develops an awareness of independently reporting disruptions that slow down processes. Employees should eventually get used to the new work organization and realize that their suggestions are taken seriously. Networking between management and employees takes place at eye level.

Because this lean promotion runs through the entire company in the best possible case, it is also important not to leave out production, but to include it in particular. The spatial separation that keeps production and office apart creates longer communication paths that should be resolved.

That's exactly why we at Mounting Systems recently installed a Shopfloor Point where production staff can meet daily for meetings and visualize their processes. Directly at the scene of the action. Directly in production. To ensure this, we made the Point soundproof. While there is a high volume outside in production, we were able to create a tolerable volume inside the Point. This creates a pleasant atmosphere for the daily meetings and promotes a shared exchange of ideas. As a contact point for employees and management, the implementation of lean in our production is made much easier in this way.

We also encouraged the creation of lean teams for the logistics and office areas and trained them accordingly. Two of our employees also received several days of training on the topic of Lean & Kaizen and are now using their newly acquired knowledge to support us in the implementation. In weekly meetings, the teams discuss their upcoming steps and develop concepts together. Another concrete measure that has taken place at Mounting Systems is the exchange of the roles of the so-called "dogs". Through observation and consultation, it was determined that the previous roles were worn out and had a high resistance. As a result, the dogs sometimes had to be moved with two or three employees. The introduction of new rollers, which have a load capacity of 900kg per piece, are long lasting and ergonomically better adapted, now allows the movement of the dogs by only one employee. Little things that facilitate the entire workflow.

In addition, our compass room was revived a few months ago, promoting consultation between the individual teams. Upcoming goals, planned actions and a visualization of which processes went well and which did not can thus be bundled centrally in one place. If there is interest, one of our employees can also ask about the processes of the other teams and get an overview of the direction Mounting Systems will take in the future. In addition, because each employee enters their tasks independently or in consultation with their team, our compass room helps to encourage individuals to work independently. Shared responsibility and shared leadership emerge.

Within our production and logistics, we have been able to agree on standardized key figures in recent months, which will in future also be displayed on flat screens in the goods issue area and at the store floor point. This means that every employee can see, for example, how many kilograms have been produced per hour. In addition to this structuring, an audit of the individual workstation has also taken place in our office area. With questions such as: "Is there enough storage space at the workstation?" and "Is it possible for the employee to work at his workstation in the best possible way?" we looked around our office and acted accordingly to promote a positive answer to both questions.

Conclusion

Changes in production and consultation between management and employees are creating an improved dynamic at Mounting Systems, which will be further developed in the coming years, contributing to an idealized operational process. The positive attributes of Lean & Kaizen are already being felt and are improving the work of our employees on a daily basis. Mounting Systems has not regretted these innovations introduced in the name of Lean Management and, with regard to this, would like to continue to improve and not accept any standstill in the future.

20 percent more power with 10 less weight. We showed the latest expansion stage of our solar tracker in Munich. See the product presentation and the most important fact sheets here. 20 percent more power at 10 less weight. We have shown the latest expansion stage of our solar tracker in Munich. See the product presentation and the most important fact sheets here. 20 percent more power at 10 less weight. We have shown the latest expansion stage of our solar tracker in Munich. See the product presentation and the most important fact sheets here.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

The B2B business world often gives a rational impression. Buyers and sellers seem to make decisions primarily on the basis of numbers, leaving emotional criteria behind. But is this buying behavior really true? Or do emotional criteria also creep into a B2B purchase decision?

The online study "State of B2B 2019: Winning with Emotion" by B2B International and gyro provides answers to these questions. With the help of 2,000 corporate decision-makers in Europe, China and the USA, it collected data on the (emotional) decision-making of buyers in the business-to-business sector and its background. Starting with the first exclusion criteria of potential suppliers, she accompanies buyers in their choice of a new trading partner and describes the factors that become important in different phases of this process. What relevant role the emotional components play in a B2B buying process and how companies can promote the emotional bond of their customers, we want to show you here in our Mounting Systems News.

What do the emotional criteria look like in a buying process and when are they included?

First, the facts: The "State of B2B 2019" states that 56% of purchasing decisions are made on an emotional basis. Under emotional decision-making aids, the study lists the customer's trust in a good working relationship, the customer's confidence that the service will be provided as desired, optimism regarding the added value for his company, and the customer's pride in cooperating with the company in question. What is important about this percentage and these factors, however, is that buyers do not place the same amount of value on the emotional criteria in every decision-making phase. Especially at the beginning of the process, these are in the background and rational aspects such as price, delivery performance and the reliability of the potential trading partner are used to make a preliminary selection. It is not until the final supplier selection that the emotional component takes effect as a decision-making aid. It is at this stage that questions such as "How confident am I that this supplier will deliver the desired performance?" or "How much do I trust the supplier?" become decision makers and justify the above 56%. Nevertheless, emotional and rational purchase decision factors should not be strictly separated: Both are interrelated and build on each other. The emotional decisions are thus influenced by a good price, the promise of fast delivery and reliable service.

Why are emotional criteria included in the buying process?

Even though people and especially buyers like to experience themselves as rationally decisive beings, the reality is different. Feelings are omnipresent (often unconsciously) and serve as an important component in decision-making. These can be influenced by recommendations from the environment, one's own past experiences, and the demeanor of the potential trading partner, leading to a desired action. Even though the B2B world is seen as a rational business and entrepreneurs seem to make final decisions primarily according to facts and logic, this is not the case.

What fosters an emotional bond between customers and the company?

The study responds, "The four components of the marketing mix (product, price, distribution and communication) must be right for a supplier to build an emotional connection." In this context, it is particularly important to bear in mind the backgrounds of the purchasers: After all, they themselves bear a great risk when choosing their suppliers and therefore need, above all, trust in their trading partners and their performance. If they rely on the wrong partner, this can mean major losses for the company or even their dismissal. This is precisely where the various measures taken by companies come in. Various measures can be chosen to convince customers of their reliability and create an emotional connection: Flexible, readily available service is one of these precautions. Customers want to have a contact person. Especially when there are not always avoidable problems with the products or delivery. We at Mounting Systems recognized this early on and installed a reliable service where our customers can expect our help in a short time. This availability at short notice gives customers the security and partnership they need.

Furthermore, the visibility of the company should be promoted above all. A company that consistently makes a serious appearance on its website creates a certain role for itself. This can be further refined with regular posts on industry-relevant topics on the company's own website and social media channels. Regular trade show appearances by a company are also essential. These provide space for personal discussions between customers and the company and give interested parties the opportunity to try out the products live on site. The objective of both variants is to bring customers closer to the company and to establish a personal relationship.

Those who give their company a face make an empathetic impression. Long-standing, successful business relationships with customers can also give your company more visibility. With the help of word of mouth and recommendations, other people can be reached. People who hear positive feedback about a company from colleagues or friends are more likely to enter into a commercial relationship with that company. We are therefore proud of the fact that we have maintained intensive business relationships with our customers for many years. These long-standing relationships are a testament to the fact that we deliver a great total package and satisfy customers with our offering. Criteria that lead to Mounting Systems being recommended to others.

Conclusion

When choosing a supplier, the right feeling plays an important role in the final decision. Companies and their employees are not rigid, rational beings, but associations of individual, emotionally feeling people who unconsciously include their feelings in their decisions. To make buyers feel the right way, suppliers must not only provide reliable service and an acceptable price, but also work on their external perception. In order to promote the company's visibility, a website with interesting news as well as regular appearances at trade fairs relevant to the industry are ideal. Companies that manage to present themselves in a serious and sympathetic manner arouse positive emotions in potential customers and thus promote the conclusion of a contract. With Mounting Systems, we position ourselves as a brand that stands for reliability and customer-oriented relationships and that also communicates this through the relevant channels. Feel free to contact us and convince yourself of our excellent services.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

In the photovoltaics business field, consolidation processes and a fierce price war have left only a few players over the past two decades. This will certainly not remain the case. Whether technical innovations or new financing models: start-ups bring a breath of fresh air to the solar industry. With their ideas, they are helping to advance renewable worldwide. Read more about the most exciting start-ups of the last few months.

The "new" business areas at a glance

The desired energy turnaround requires a rethink in many areas. Unconventional ideas from start-ups can make an important contribution here. Looking at the current development, it quickly becomes clear that the new companies cover very different areas around photovoltaics. Some start-ups are looking for new project management and financing solutions for PV plants, including in developing countries. Others, on the other hand, are intensively involved with technical solutions for increasing efficiency, researching new materials for solar cells, or revolving around the media's favorite topic of artificial intelligence. Most recently, an incalculable number of start-ups have been founded worldwide around the global energy transition. In this article, we present four companies with very different goals as examples:

PV start-up number 1: Ecoligo

This crowdinvesting platform from Frankfurt am Main is committed to promoting the development of renewable energies in emerging and developing countries. For this, the start-up was awarded the Georg Salvamoser Prize at Intersolar in Munich in 2019. The company is currently active in Chile, Costa Rica, Ghana, Kenya and the Philippines. With its solar-as-a-service solution, the company supports Ecoligo companies in the realization of their projects by providing a complete digital platform for the financing and delivery of solar projects.

Start up number 2: BRC Solar

PV system operators often struggle with the problem of module shading. This usually leads to a drop in performance and a lower energy yield in the entire plant, since the modules are mostly connected in series. BRC Solar from Karlsruhe develops customer-specific solutions for optimizing the performance of the entire plant. The cost-effective control units can be retrofitted as add-ons or integrated into the module.

Start up number 3: Epishine

The Swedish start-up researches, develops and markets a completely new type of solar cell. Unlike conventional models, these are semi-transparent, very light and 100 percent organic. With this idea belonged Epishine at the "Start UP Energy Transition Tech Festival" in Berlin in April 2019, it is no coincidence that they are among the finalists for the SET Award. The organic solar cells can be used primarily indoors to reduce the need for batteries. In the future, it is also planned to use the so-called OPV (organic photovoltaics) in open spaces.

Start up number 4: Raycatch

This start-up from Israel uses artificial intelligence (AI) to develop software solutions to predict potential faults in the operation of PV systems. By collecting extensive operating data, the self-learning software from Raycatch efficiency, increase energy yield and facilitate maintenance.

Conclusion

The photovoltaics market is in upheaval. Consolidation is making room for new start-ups. The small agile and often extremely creative companies are implementing their innovations around photovoltaics - and are partly supported by the established companies. It makes sense to look beyond one's own field of business. Because we will certainly see many more surprises in the future. Not least due to the AI megatrend.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.