Ascent Solar Technologies Inc of Thornton, CO, USA, which makes lightweight, flexible copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic modules that it integrates into its EnerPlex series of consumer products, is to expand its direct retail outlets to 10 locations in fourth-quarter 2013. Currently the firm has three kiosks in its home state of Colorado; an additional seven will be opened in California and Nevada in strategically selected locations.
Ascent has signed a strategic agreement with MarketStar Corp to help it select, implement and manage its kiosk operations. Founded in 1988 and based in Ogden, Utah, MarketStar offers outsourced sales and marketing services, providing fully integrated solutions in over 60 countries. As part of the agreement, MarketStar will assume operational responsibilities for the three existing kiosks in Colorado, and by early December will open the additional seven outlets. The second phase of the partnership is expected to grow to 20 kiosks by mid-2014. ?
Over the past year, Ascent's business strategy has evolved from being purely focused on business-to-business (B2B) 'off-grid' applications to a consumer-oriented focus, manifested by the EnerPlex brand of portable power products. The EnerPlex product line provides lightweight, powerful and durable solar-integrated charging and storage solutions for portable consumer electronics.
"Our first three kiosks in Colorado have proven to be an effective outlet for our EnerPlex brand of portable charging solutions," says Ascent's president & CEO Victor Lee. "With MarketStar, we align our EnerPlex brand with a proven operator and open the opportunity to further our consumer products strategy by expanding quickly into attractive target markets."