S:FLEX continue expansion of distribution network: Jordan is the frame specialist's new location for growing PV markets in the Middle East

Hamburg, 29 September 2016 – S:FLEX GmbH, manufacturers of frame solutions for photovoltaic rooftop and ground-mounted systems, tap regional sunrise markets with the establishment of their new branch office. The focus areas of sales activities are Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Amin Khaddash is to take charge of S:FLEX Middle East, located in Aman, Jordan.

Rising energy demand, intense solar radiation and a clear commitment to the expansion of photovoltaics all characterise various countries in the Gulf region. "Up until now, these markets have been highly focussed on the segment of ground-mounted, large-scale power plants, but we are now seeing a significant increase in roof-mounted projects," said Bernhard Thiesbrummel, Managing Director of S:FLEX. "In light of this development, we see a very high potential in terms of sales with our broad product portfolio for applications on residential and industrial roofs."

Rising number of subsidy programmes and acceptance of solar energy stimulate the industry
The decreasing costs for electricity from PV systems, the rising number of subsidy programmes and the introduction of the mandatory use of PV on buildings as planned in Dubai contribute to significantly growing end user demand. Especially in the decentralised on-roof sector, this is cause for a considerable increase in the number of wholesalers and installers, who are the core customer groups of S:FLEX. "Our customers appreciate German engineering know-how in conjunction with the safety of our certified products and the rapid availability thanks to our storage capacities on site," said Amin Khaddash, Managing Director of S:FLEX Middle East. Mr Khaddash has many years of experience in project planning, distribution and turnkey construction of PV systems in various solar markets, and was already able to win new customers such as MASE, ATG, Millennium Energy Industries and the Izzat Marji Group for the newly established S:FLEX branch office.

With the Flat Direct, S:FLEX developed a new low-ballast pitched roof system for non-penetrative installation on foil and bitumen roofs

Hamburg, 13 June 2016 – Non-penetrative installation of PV systems on pitched roofs with foil and bitumen roofing places high demands on the frame, especially on commercial buildings with low load-bearing reserves. S:FLEX now offers installers a new, aerodynamic installation system for this rapidly growing segment of commercial buildings. Flat Direct can be used on pitched roofs with up to 30° incline and guarantees short installation times with its pre-assembled components.

Aerodynamic functionality is achieved with 11mm strong foam rubber pads. They are readily glued underneath the aluminium bottom rails of the system and are characterised by their high friction coefficients while allowing for a significant reduction of ballast. On top of that, the structural properties of Flat Direct with the air gaps between the modules produce a suction effect in the direction of the roof and achieve the best possible rear ventilation.

Further advantages of foam rubber pads over conventional building protection mats are their good material compatibility with all conventional roofing materials. The migration of plasticisers from the roof membrane, leading to embrittlement, is prevented just as well as mechanical effects on the roofing. Long-term damage is reliably prevented.

Securely anchored to all roof shapes
Flat Direct is usable on a variety of roof types: unilateral or bilateral installation of vertically or horizontally arranged framed modules is possible on gable, pent, shed and butterfly roofs. Secure anchoring is achieved by way of mechanical coupling or counterweights on the roof ridge. A special ridge angle joint was designed for installations on pitched roofs, which can be easily adapted to the local situation. The system solution was designed to meet the specifications of snow load zone 3 and wind load zone 4. Ballast stone holders are available for installations where project-specific parameters require additional ballast.

Proven modular system for quick installation
S:FLEX once again relies on its proven modular system for the new mounting solution: the bottom and module mounting rails are provided as standard products with prefabricated lengths. They are indefinitely extendible with rail connectors. One type of click-in mid and end clamps will suffice to connect modules of all frame sizes.

The Flat Direct, which was developed in cooperation with PMT (Premium Mounting Technologies), is rounded off with optionally available covers for the cable channels integrated into the bottom rails. This way, string cables are protected against permanent and harmful environmental influences, UV radiation in particular. For every project, we also offer an optional system-specific report with a location-based structural analysis.

The new Flat Direct will be presented for the first time at the Intersolar Europe trade fair in hall A3, booth 728. It is available now at S:FLEX in Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

S:FLEX – Flat-roof systems can be mounted even more flexibly and safely with the new LEICHTmount 2.0

Hamburg, 13 October 2015 – The proven aerodynamic LEICHTmount mounting system for flat roofs from S:FLEX is now available as version 2.0 with a range of new features. It has become easier to mount on uneven roofs and with cable guides. In order to use roof surfaces even more efficiently, the south-facing version is now available with two different row spacing sizes. Extensive wind tunnel, fire and static load tests have shown that the further developed systems can provide an even greater degree of safety under extreme conditions.

The new LEICHTmount 2.0 will make life easier for installers in the future. Thanks to the higher supports for the south-facing and east/west-facing systems, the distance from the roofing has been increased. This facilitates compensation for uneven roof surfaces, and makes cable guidance far easier. A further development has also been made when it comes to roof coverage: for the best possible roof exploitation, the LEICHTmount 2.0 S south-facing version with bracket inclinations of 10° and 15° is now available with two different row space sizes designed for shade angles of 18° and 25° respectively.

Safety First with the LEICHTmount 2.0
Storm damage only makes up a minor share of insurance claim cases with PV systems, but when it comes to the level of damage compensation, they are at the top of the list (source: Mannheimer Versicherungen). The LEICHTmount 2.0 takes this into account by offering additional, pre-mounted fastening clips on the adhered building protection mat with aluminium lamination. They ensure that the constant friction is provided that prevents the systems from slipping on the roof.

In addition to the tests carried out to date, the LEICHTmount 2.0 underwent two further static load tests in accordance with the latest industrial standards. Pressure and tensile tests in conformance with IEC 61215:2005 with different module types showed that even under high loads, no microcracks occur in the cells. The static calculations for projects now also include knowledge gained from new tests in the wind tunnel. During the tensile tests, 60 modules were tested together against displacement and lifting. Customers will be given a comprehensive project report which contains all the necessary static calculations as well as a project-related ballast plan.

The improvements are rounded off by certificates in accordance with UL 1703 and ETL certified in conformance with UL 2703 with the further developed module clamp with integrated earthing pins. As a result, international standards for system earthing are also met.

The new LEICHTmount 2.0 S and EW systems are available now at S:FLEX in Germany, the UK, France, Spain and the United States.

S:FLEX presents its new roof hook – secure installation even on roofs with narrow rafters from only 33 mm

Liverpool, 6 August 2015 – S:FLEX, manufacturer of mounting systems for photovoltaic on-roof and ground-mount systems and trade partner for installation companies, is expanding its pitched roof product portfolio with the introduction of a new roof hook and a new wood screw. These two components ensure the easy and secure installation of PV systems onto roofs with narrow rafters from 33 mm while still conforming to the edge of rafter distances prescribed by Eurocode 5.

The base plate of the new S:FLEX roof hook has an optimised hole pattern which, with just 2 screws, guarantees a stable fix even onto particularly narrow rafters. In combination with the newly developed S:FLEX wood screw, installation is now possible without splitting rafters. This is all thanks to the design of the screw: the hardened tip and the flat thread reduce the turning requirements and therefore minimise the risk of rafters splitting. This saves the time and cost of doubling up rafters in order to undertake an installation in accordance with the industry rules.

“Time and time again, installers were faced with the problem that there was no easy and quick installation option available for these problematic roofs which conformed to the edge of roof rafter distances prescribed by Eurocode 5” says Terry Hughes Director of S:FLEX UK. “In the UK in particular, but also in other European markets, roofs are often built with narrow rafters. With these new products we have developed a solution for narrow rafters for our customers which can also be used on standard roofs”.

Along with the optimised base plate, the new roof hook also retains the functionality to be expected of an S:FLEX roof hook. Besides the dog legged shape of the handle, avoiding pressure being placed on the roof tile, it has a wide range of adjustability allowing it to be horizontally and vertically adjustable to ensure the optimal positioning to the roof tile as well as allowing the mounting system to be installed completely level even where the roof is uneven.

S:FLEX expands European distribution network with foundation of subsidiary in the UK

Hamburg, 16 October 2014 – With the new subsidiary, S:FLEX GmbH, manufacturers of mounting solutions for photovoltaic rooftop and ground-mounted systems, are placing their bet on a sustainable expansion of their sales activities in the UK, which began in 2011. As Managing Directors, Terry Hughes and Mark Wilke will be in charge of S:FLEX Mounting Systems UK Limited at the Liverpool location.

In supplying numerous programmes, including the Free Solar Projects, and various housing association measures, S:FLEX were able to successfully position themselves in the small-scale systems segment with an installed capacity of over 20 MW since 2011. “We see the British market as one of our future core markets in Europe. Therefore, local presence through the establishment of our subsidiary is the logical step to be taken to ensure the extensive support of our existing and future customers,” says Bernhard Thiesbrummel, Managing Director of S:FLEX. “We are delighted to have gained Terry Hughes and Mark Wilke, who are both experienced PV industry specialists,” adds Thiesbrummel.

Rooftop systems segment on growth course in UK
The PV Strategy Roadmap of the British government provides for an increased orientation towards rooftop systems in the industrial sector. This segment is one of the core business areas of the company. With their MCS-certified mounting systems, S:FLEX offer their customers a high-quality solution for any roof type at an attractive price. “Our customers appreciate the technical expertise and the extensive services provided by the team,” says Mark Wilke. S:FLEX were able to demonstrate just that in cooperation with their customer Renewables 4 Business, as part of a challenging 681 kW roof-mounted project, which was nominated for the Solar Power Portal Awards 2014 shortlist. “We are confident in our ability to meet our customers’ demands with our ever-growing product and service portfolio, thus significantly improving our market position,” Wilke says. “In various housing association programmes, S:FLEX still are the preferred partners, and our industrial systems pipeline is growing steadily. We are currently supplying a 1.3 MW project for the water suppliers United Utilities, which sees the use of our new standing seam sheet metal clamp.”

More information about S:FLEX and their products is also available at the Solar Power trade fair in Birmingham at booth A42.

S:FLEX expands management team with Lutz Wolff as the new Technical Director

Hamburg, 12 August 2014 – S:FLEX GmbH, which manufactures mounting solutions for photovoltaic rooftop and ground-mounted systems and acts as a trading partner for installation companies, is strengthening its team with Lutz Wolff. Since 1 August, the graduate engineer has been responsible for the development of new products for the European and American markets.

S:FLEX’s positive performance with its three bases in Hamburg and Freiburg, Germany, and Colorado, USA, as well as its planned development of further international markets, are the reasons for strengthening the management. “With Lutz Wolff we have gained a first-class colleague who will complement our team perfectly with his many years of industry experience,” says Bernhard Thiesbrummel, Managing Director of S:FLEX. “His considerable expertise will enable us to meet our customers’ wishes even more quickly for PV system technology that is perfectly adapted to different roof landscapes while simultaneously meeting demonstrable quality criteria.”

Lutz Wolff completed his studies in Civil Engineering in 2003. Until 2007, he worked in various planning and engineering offices. From 2007 to 2014 he was responsible for product development and ground-mounted projects with a volume of about 900 MWp at HatiCon GmbH.

“Providing sophisticated product solutions for the requirements of different markets in terms of easy installation and short installation times for rooftop and ground-mounted systems are precisely the challenges I want,” says Wolff. “I'm looking forward to my tasks in the new team, whose close customer relations and internationality offers me great opportunities.”