Companies using solar trade shows to break into new industry

Companies using solar trade shows to break into new industryWith the solar industry being one of the only areas of the economy that was growing through the recession, businesses that have traditionally worked in other fields are trying to find a way in.

Microtherm, which specializes in high-end insulation, and Samson Controls, which manufactures specialized valves, both had presences at Solar Power Generation USA  in Las Vegas last week. They were there to generate new business.

Microtherm got its first job in the solar industry last year with the Solana project. Samson is still wrangling for its foothold in solar.

“If you get one of these jobs, though, it pays for all of these events,” said David Scott, Samson regional sales manager.

The company has been close on a few projects, but hasn’t been chosen yet. Scott said they’ve been trying to break into solar for about a year. He and quality assurance manager Ramon Balcazar agreed that the best places to look for business are the solar trade shows. Conferences are good place to make some connects and learn about the industry. But they’ll be hitting trade shows hard in the future.

It has traditionally worked with chemical companies.

“We can transfer that knowledge to solar,” Balcazar said.

Microtherm representatives left pamphlets about the company’s insulation technology and how it can be used in solar in the room where industry experts were discussing concentrated solar power technologies and financing.

“We are looking for areas where efficiency is critical,” said Microtherm applications engineer Matthew Pass. “Heat loss is obviously an issue in CSP.”

The company creates and sells ball joint jackets to prevent heat loss in CSP projects. Microtherm has traditionally worked in the manufacturing industry, helping businesses increase their efficiencies with special insulation solutions. Making the transition into solar has been a slow process. But it’s happening.

“I think there’s a market for us in solar,” Pass said. “If you use good insulation, you can reduce the cost of production and optimize profits.”