DK Electronic Materials’ customer uses copper paste for GW-scale cell production

In a recent note to investors, DK Electronic Materials (DKEM) said its high-copper metallization paste had achieved a gigawatt-scale production target at an undisclosed ‘strategic customer’, with the customer now moving to deploy the material across increased production capacity.

DKEM’s unveiling comes as PV manufacturers and their supply chains seek to reduce exposure to silver, a key cost component in cell metallization. In a separate report published by pv magazinespot silver was reported to have hit a record $94.73/oz on January 19, highlighting the cost pressures facing downstream manufacturers.

The company has positioned its high copper metallization approach as a method to reduce silver consumption while maintaining compatibility with affordable production specifications. In engineering materials and materials for investors, DKEM has described a solution that combines its DK62T copper paste with a DK95S seeded silver paste, designed to manage material interfaces and reduce copper diffusion risks, while remaining compatible with mainstream production of n-type cells.

DKEM has gradually scaled the product from customer validation to volume delivery. In October 2025, the company told investors that collaboration with major downstream customers was progressing and that its high copper paste had entered volume production, with gigawatt-scale production lines expected to be operational in the fourth quarter. It was also noted that progress had been made in seed layer formulation and paste design, and that the solution was compatible with TOPCon 3.0’s high-efficiency cell processes.

While DKEM has not identified the strategic customer, the latest disclosure indicates that at least one manufacturer has moved from pilot use to gigawatt-scale production. The company added that other customers are in the evaluation and testing phase.

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