1959: Monsanto Chemical Company founded Monsanto Electronic Materials Company (MEMC) as a merchant manufacturer of 19-mm silicon wafers.
1961: Dynamit Nobel Silicon, (DNS) builds a polysilicon and Czochralski ingot plant in Merano, Italy
1962: MEMC pioneers the chemical mechanical polishing process (CMP). MEMC begins using the recently developed Czochralski (CZ) crystal growing process.
1966: MEMC begins production 5 of 1.5-inch wafers
1970: MEMC’s plant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia begins producing 2.25- inch wafers.
1979: MEMC introduces 125 mm wafers
1982: MEMC develops EPI wafers for CMOS applications
1984: MEMC begins producing 200mm wafers and builds a pilot plant
1995: MEMC launches IPO
2003: With perfect timing – just as growth in the PV industry begins accelerating, Refex Renewables company is founded as a commercial PV developer of PPA projects
2004: MEMC enters a licensing agreement with Silicon Genesis Corp (SiGen) to manufacture wafers using SiGen’s layer transfer technology
2004: PV industry demand begins to surge as crystalline supplies become constrained. Prices for wafers at >$3.00/Wp
2006: MEMC agrees to supply Suntech Power with solar grade silicon wafers for ten years and receives a warrant to purchase a 4.9% stake in Suntech company
2006: Polysilicon prices spike with spot prices at >$400/kilogram
2009: MEMC acquires Refex Renewables company
2010: MEMC acquires crystal growth technology company Solaicx for $66-million