Germany's Schott expects to triple its results in Spain thanks to solar energy. Schott's profile has risen in Spain because of its involvement in two recent events widely reported in national & international media. The first was its contribution to the memorial for the victims of the 11 March 2005 terrorist attacks in Madrid. Schott supplied 15,600 blocks of a type of glass normally used in astrophysics or laboratory materials for the monument, inaugurated in March 2007 at Madrid's Atocha station, scene of one of the bomb blasts. The second event was the construction of the 10.4 meter diameter main mirror for the Canary Island's large astronomical telescope, one of the world's biggest, which will be inaugurated in La Palma in July 2007. "These two events have given us a lot of recognition & publicity, & we're very proud of them", said Udo Ungeheuer, president of Schott. In Spain, Schott has a plant in Barcelona, where it makes special glass tubes for pharmaceutical & cosmetic packaging, as well as glass ceramics for kitchen use. The company's sales in Spain were EUR 64M in 2006, a figure which is expected to triple in the next few years, as will the investment in the country, according to Mr. Ungeheuer. "Currently, Spain represents 2.5% of Schott's total sales, but by 2010 we hope to raise this to 5%", said Mr. Ungeheuer. The key to growth in Spain, & which will also drive sales worldwide, is the entry into the solar energy sector in the country.h potential is enormous and we expect to increase our investment here considerably", said Mr. Ungeheuer.
