German solar pioneer Wagner & Co has joined forces with one of the leading suppliers of photovoltaic equipment in southern England, AC Solartechnic. The new joint venture, named Wagner Solar UK, will do business beginning in November from AC Solartechnic´s present site in Sidlesham, near Chichester, West Sussex.

The premises, which provide enough space for anticipated business expansion, will be headed up by AC Solartechnic founders Carsten Pump and Mark Osborne, who will work as Managing and Finance Directors of the company. Alexander Storek, Sales Manager from Wagner, Germany will join them on the board.

“The formation of Wagner Solar UK is an important move both for AC Solartechnic and for Wagner & Co,” said Andreas Wagner, Co-Founder of Wagner & Co. “The UK is a key market which continues to expand rapidly, and it would very much appear that the new government is set to maintain the right environment for further expansion. Wagner Solar is here for the long term, and we shall use our resources to the full to serve our UK customers both now and in the future.”

“There is no doubt that Wagner Solar UK is in a prime position to give all of our support to our customers, both new and old,” says Managing Director Carsten Pump. “Currently, there is a world-wide under-supply of photovoltaic equipment, but thanks to the long-term experience and the long-lasting contacts of Wagner & Co, the new joint venture will have privileged access to some of the world´s greatest manufacturers.”

The new joint venture already has a market share of approximately 12% of all photovoltaic systems installed in the UK in 2010, with significant potential for further growth.