Author: halsarhan

You may or may not have caught the news a few weeks back, but Unirac, has successfully completed the acquisition of Ecolibrium Solar. The acquisition represents a significant expansion of Unirac’s product portfolio, adding Ecolibrium’s commercial flat roof, residential rail-less and metal roof products to its product line, already recognized as a leader in the industry.
“We are excited about the Ecolibrium team and the products they have brought to the market. They share our passion for customer success and have a strong focus on distribution,” said Peter Lorenz, Unirac CEO. “Better solar starts with great partnerships. The increased scale in production, engineering services, and field support allow us to help customers reduce costs and grow their solar business, especially on commercial projects”.
“With a similar focus on customer experience, quality, and product development, the strength of our combined team enhances our ability to provide our customers with exceptional products and services” said Sam Veague, former CEO at Ecolibrium.

Watch the interview and learn more about what this acquisition means to the industry and our customers. 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., July 7, 2020 – – Unirac, North America’s leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic mounting systems, has successfully completed the acquisition of Ecolibrium Solar, a prominent solar racking manufacturer headquartered in Athens, Ohio. The acquisition represents a significant expansion of Unirac’s product portfolio, adding Ecolibrium’s commercial flat roof, residential rail-less and metal roof products to its product line, already recognized as a leader in the industry.

Ecolibrium’s suite of products includes Ecofoot, a polymer-based solution for flat roofs that integrates with Unirac’s recently launched FlashLoc RM attachment, as well as EcoX, a pioneering rail-less product line for residential customers. EcoX is a complement to Unirac’s market-leading SFM Infinity line, offering different features and a metal roof solution in its MetalX version.

“We are excited about the Ecolibrium team and the products they have brought to the market. They share our passion for customer success and have a strong focus on distribution,” said Peter Lorenz, Unirac CEO. “Better solar starts with great partnerships. The increased scale in production, engineering services, and field support allows us to help customers reduce costs and grow their solar business, especially on commercial projects.”

Unirac’s plan is to integrate Ecolibrium’s team and products over the next few months. “As we worked together to develop this partnership, the great fit between our teams became clear,” said Sam Veague, former CEO at Ecolibrium. “With a similar focus on customer experience, quality, and product development, the strength of our combined team enhances our ability to provide our customers with exceptional products and services.”

Tenex acquired Unirac in 2016 as a platform company with the goal to add on other solar companies. “Executing this strategic acquisition during the peak of the current pandemic speaks to our confidence in Unirac’s leadership and strong financial position.” said J.P. Bretl, Managing Director of Tenex Capital Management.

For further details on the acquisition, and to follow future product and service announcements, visit www.unirac.com.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Unirac, Inc., North America’s leading manufacturer of PV mounting systems, is pleased to announce its SOLARMOUNT PV Mounting system is the first solar racking product to receive a Notice of Acceptance (NOA) product approval for construction in Miami-Dade County, Florida.  With its provisions for High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) wind conditions, Miami-Dade has the most stringent building code requirements in the United States.  The NOA (NOA No. 19-0429.02) will significantly reduce the cost and timeline for residential solar installation throughout the state of Florida and in other high wind regions.

The Miami-Dade County Product Approval System is an internationally recognized protocol to evaluate the standards and quality of building products in severe high wind environments. The NOA establishes code compliance and provides a pre-approval of the building product, thus simplifying the design, permitting and approval process, resulting in cost savings of several hundred dollars per project.  Solar contractors in other high wind areas also benefit from the Miami-Dade NOA.  Authorities Having Jurisdiction across Florida, in other coastal states, and as far away as the Caribbean, Guam and Hawaii accept the NOA as meeting their local product approval requirements.

Ernest Gallegos, Unirac’s Director of Products, said, “A Miami-Dade NOA is the gold standard of product approvals for high wind regions. This achievement reflects our dedication to providing high quality products with exceptional engineering, and to Better Solar Starts HereTM, our commitment to provide our customers the best end-to-end experience, from design to final installation, allowing them to reduce costs and focus on growing their business. We appreciate the partnership of Miami-Dade County in attaining this challenging product evaluation.”

The NOA is available at www.Unirac.com or from Miami-Dade. Unirac will host a free webinar on Friday, June 26 at 1pm EDT for solar contractors who would like to learn more about Miami Dade NOA; register here to reserve a space. For more information about Unirac products please contact your Unirac distributor or contact Unirac at (505) 248-2702 or info@unirac.com. 

Albuquerque, New Mexico & Cambridge, UK, September 23rd, 2019 – Unirac, Inc., North America’s leading manufacturer of PV mounting systems, and Viridian Solar, a UK-based manufacturer of roof integrated solar panels, are excited to announce a new collaboration to bring Viridian’s roof-integrated solar technology to the United States. Unirac will showcase the product at Solar Power International in Salt Lake City, Utah September 24-26.
Marketed as Clearline Fusion in European markets, the product is especially well suited to the new-build residential sector where Viridian Solar has quickly achieved a market-leading position in the United Kingdom, signing up leading homebuilders to exclusive national supply agreements.   It has also seen recent success in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany, and Austria.
For more than 20 years, UNIRAC has paced the North American market as a leading provider of PV mounting solutions. Over the last eighteen months, the company has executed a series of new acquisitions, strategic partnerships and new product launches to expand its offering to provide a more holistic solar experience.
Welcoming the deal, Peter Lorenz, CEO of Unirac says:

“Our quest to develop, seek out and offer the best and most innovative products on the market led us to Cambridge and Viridian Solar.  We selected Viridian’s PV roofing system for its elegant simplicity, high-quality materials, robust testing, and proven market performance.  The solar mandate comes into force in California in 2020 and we will be ready to offer homebuilders in California and other states a highly desirable, aesthetically pleasing roof integrated solar option.”
Founded in 2004 by engineers from Cambridge University, Viridian Solar has a long pedigree and solid track-record of designing and manufacturing roof-integrated solar technology.  The system replaces tiles on pitched roofs, sitting lower in the roofline for improved aesthetics as well as the highest wind resistance and fire rating of any roof-integrated system. Easy to use design software, installation techniques, and simple kitting make the system attractive to both experienced and novice solar installers.
Stuart Elmes, CEO of Viridian Solar explained:

“We have been extremely impressed by the professionalism and dynamism of the Unirac team and look forward to working together to successfully bring this product to the United States.   Unirac’s undoubted experience, market reach and reputation will be key to unlocking this tremendous opportunity.”
Viridian Solar has granted Unirac an exclusive license to manufacture, market and sell its roof-integrated solar technology in the US and Latin American markets.  Come by Unirac’s Booth (4513) at Solar Power International to see the new product and get more information on upcoming availability.

Three Tiers of Certification for Trusted Partners Unveiled at Solar Power International

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., September 23, 2019 – – Unirac has been a pioneer in the solar racking space for 20 years, resulting in its products now outliving their original warranties—an achievement that translates into real savings for homeowners and a mark of trust for installers who sell them. Now, Unirac has launched the first solar racking certification program in the industry for committed installation partners. Three tiers of certification were unveiled this week at Solar Power International (SPI) in Salt Lake City.
“It’s clear from solar installers’ demand that our solid products and warranties make a real difference in their businesses and their customer satisfaction,” said Peter Lorenz, Unirac CEO. “That’s exactly why we rolled out this program—to arm our trusted installation partners with training, tools and marketing assets to help grow their own businesses and continue providing excellent customer support.”

Three tiers of certification range from Certified, Certified Gold and Certified Platinum. Requirements for admission into the program vary and are based on measurable practices and consumer confidence. Potential partners will be vetted on how well they embody the ideals of Unirac’s mission, “Better Solar Starts Here,” thus helping the solar industry expand across the country. A full suite of co-branded marketing assets will be available to partners in a partner portal, along with access to Unirac’s training modules. The Certified Platinum level will provide extended warranties for homeowners, increasing customer retention for installation partners while providing second-to-none value for the customer.

“Solar Optimum is proud to be among the first Unirac Platinum Certified Installers,” said Arno Aghamalian, CEO and President of Solar Optimum. “The program will enhance our growth because it provides key differentiators for us in our market. It sets us apart by recognizing those of us in the industry who have the best quality record and the most longevity.”
Interested potential partners are encouraged to learn more at www.Unirac.com/certified-installer/.

Albuquerque, NM, August 6th, 2019 – UNIRAC, Inc. unveiled an innovative collection of new products and accessories, including SFM INFINITY, a revolutionary rooftop solar PV mounting system, that optimize the solar installation process. The announcement is the latest round in UNIRAC’s Better Solar Starts Here™ program to help customers capture the next level of cost savings and grow their solar businesses.

For more than 20 years, UNIRAC has paced the North American market as a leading provider of PV mounting solutions. Over the last eighteen months, the company has executed a series of new acquisitions, strategic partnerships and new product launches to expand its offering to provide a more holistic solar installation experience.

UNIRAC CEO, Peter Lorenz, explained how SFM INFINITY impacts solar contractors’ operations. “This third-generation mounting system transcends racking to benefit solar installers across their value chains, by reducing logistics costs, eliminating rough-in inspections, and enabling two installations per crew per day. Plus, more than four out of five homeowners surveyed prefer its aesthetics. SFM INFINITY is part of our relentless pursuit to help customers transform their solar businesses.”

Along with SFM INFINITY, UNIRAC unveiled E-BOSS, a line of electrical balance of systems components, and Pro Series SOLARHOOKS, a line of strengthened solar attachments for tile roofs. Integrating solar PV accessories and roof attachments with UNIRAC mounting solutions creates a better installation experience, from array design and logistics, to installation and service calls, a pillar of Better Solar Starts Here™. The program also includes an expanded product portfolio (the result of acquisition) licensing and voice of customer product development, installer-focused training, and UNIRAC’s transferable 25-Year full system warranty.

Sean Linn, UNIRAC’s COO, explained how UNIRAC is transforming the way solar is installed. “To deliver on Better Solar Starts Here™, we enhanced our U-Builder solar design software, doubled the size of our product development team, and hired six in-region field support specialists to provide hands-on installer training. The results are tangible: for example, we applied our technical excellence to strengthen our SOLARHOOK tile roof attachments by up to 60% over standard tile hooks, and later this year we will expand our product portfolio with a low ballast flat roof solution, attachments for metal and commercial flat roofs, and installer support services.”

UNIRAC’s new products can be found at unirac.com/products.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – April 26, 2018 – Unirac, Inc., North America’s leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic mounting systems, announced today that it has acquired certain assets of SolarHooks, a manufacturer of residential solar roof attachments. With this addition, Unirac now offers a comprehensive product line to the residential market, a large and growing segment of the solar PV industry.

“We’re excited to provide a total solution for solar installers,” said Peter Lorenz, President and CEO of Unirac, Inc. “Our customers have been asking us for a complete product line with the quality of Unirac’s engineering and supply chain.” The acquisition also demonstrates Unirac’s strength and its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. “As we celebrate our 20^th year, this investment reflects our confidence in the solar industry and our commitment to our customers,” said Lorenz.

Unirac’s acquisition of SolarHooks’ product lines is the result of an extensive market review. “We surveyed the entire market and concluded that SolarHooks has the best technologies and best value for our customers,” said Ernest Gallegos, Director of Products at Unirac. SolarHooks’ product portfolio includes a variety of attachment and flashing solutions for residential tile and composition shingle roofs. The company also plans to release an improved tile replacement solution. “We’re excited to join Unirac and extend our customer reach,” said Brady Session, co-founder of SolarHooks. “Our success is based on our relentless efforts to make things happen for our customers,” added Chad Robinson, co-founder of SolarHooks. “We found great alignment in Unirac, who shares the same passion for our customers.”

J.P. Bretl, a Managing Director of Tenex Capital Management, Unirac’s lead investor along with management, remarked, “We look forward to working with Unirac’s leadership team to further enhance its market leadership position in solar panel mounting systems by bringing additional best-in-class solutions to its portfolio.”