Ice Industries to supply solar panel components to First Solar

Ice Industries, Sylvania, Ohio, has been awarded an additional long-term contract supplying solar panel components to photovoltaic solar manufacturer First Solar Inc. Under the agreement, Ice expects to invest up to $9.8 million in a new facility in Louisiana to supply steel back rails for solar modules produced at First Solar's new vertically integrated manufacturing facility in Iberia Parish.

Ice’s Louisiana facility, expected to create up to 110 new jobs, is the company's second roll forming facility dedicated to supplying First Solar with back rails for its series 7 modules. In 2022, Ice established its $9 million Bowling Green, Ohio, facility to supply First Solar's manufacturing footprint in Lake Township, Ohio, with steel back rails.

Ice plans to initiate production in the first half of 2025. Its capabilities include deep draw metal stamping; CNC machining; MIG, TIG, and resistance welding; assembly; high-volume blanking; automated roll forming; and powder coating.