Thin-film solar company Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTI) Wednesday announced that luggage maker Samsonite has selected flexible light-weight CIGS modules from Ascent Solar to be integrated into its new line of solar consumer products to be rolled out this summer.
Ascent Solar's shares rose 10% on the news to a high of $4.31, according to Reuters.
The two companies have been working together through the product development stages.
Lynne Berard, Samsonite VP Sales & Marketing said the company believes that integrating solar panels into our carrying case solutions will be a game changer in the industry.
"Our selection by Samsonite gives Ascent Solar a clear path to market with solar integrated consumer products," Farhad Moghadam, President and CEO of Ascent Solar, said. "With this in mind our goal is to enable and lead a new wave of portable solar charging solutions through Samsonite that will revolutionize the way we power our electronics anywhere and everywhere under the sun."
Ascent Solar is headquartered in Thornton, Colorado. The company has previously focused on the European market for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV), signing several deals with French and Spanish roofing products companies.
