Oct. 30--HUDSON -- A South Korean solar company is establishing its first U.S. plant, bringing some 150 high-tech manufacturing jobs to Hudson's struggling riverside industrial park.

Uni-Chem, best known for selling leather to carmakers like Hyundai and luxury handbag companies like Burberry and Coach, will set up shop in Sagamore Park, beginning operations in the first half of 2010. The company is breaking into the solar business in anticipation of a U.S. solar market that is ready for growth.

"High-tech companies start here, but moving in from a foreign country, that is unusual," said Fred Kocher, president of the New Hampshire High Tech Council. "But it's the kind of thing that we want to see."

Uni-Chem has signed an agreement to lease most of the space at 25 Sagamore Park Drive. The building is owned and partially occupied by Spire Corp., a solar company based in Bedford, Mass.

To form its U.S. entity, Uni-Chem also agreed to buy 51 percent of Spire Corp. subsidiary Spire Solar Systems.

Spire Corp. currently has about 20 employees working on semiconductors in the 90,000-square-foot building, all of whom will remain when Uni-Chem starts production.

The new plant will produce both solar cells and solar modules, according to Spire Chief Operating Officer Rodger LaFavre. Salaries could range up to $50,000 to $75,000.

Uni-Chem will spend about $40 million to set up equipment, create production lines and upgrade the facility's infrastructure.

Uni-Chem will be the second major solar manufacturing operation in Greater Nashua. Merrimack's GT Solar has found success manufacturing furnaces and other products that are used to make solar wafers. GT Solar has seen rapid growth in the last few years, becoming New Hampshire's first publicly-traded alternative energy company in 2008.

Although the solar industry was hurt by the recession, there's still plenty of room for growth in the U.S. Solar technology is moving into the mainstream here, fueled by the decline and price and the government's push toward alternative energy, yet the market is not yet saturated with solar producers as it is in Europe and Asia.

"Many people believe the USA market in the coming years may be one of the biggest markets for solar energy," LaFavre said.

LaFavre said the deal came about after Uni-Chem turned to Spire for advice on where to set up in the U.S. Uni-Chem had been a customer of Spire, he said.

"They wanted to get established in the USA market as quickly as possible ... They came to us because of our pedigree in the solar industry," LaFavre said. "We said, 'Well, we have a building. It's got some extra space.' "

Hudson town officials are thrilled about the news, and not just because the plant is a boon for an industrial park that's approaching a 50 percent vacancy rate.

"Any time you can get manufacturing jobs in America, it's super," said Ken Massey, vice-chairman of the Board of Selectmen. "I was really excited because of the type of business this is."

Spire, which is setting up all the equipment for Uni-Chem, appeared before the board Tuesday seeking permission for the facility to discharge about 100,000 gallons of wastewater, or five percent of the town's total allotment, each day. The board granted that permission, allowing the project to move forward.

Spire Corp., founded in 1969, has three business units. Solar technology is the major focus, but the company also has bio-medical and semiconductor segments.

Ashley Smith can be reached at 594-6446 or asmith@nashuatelegraph.com.

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