Spire
Spire (via Eternal Sun Spire) manufactures LED and Xenon-based solar simulators for IV-testing PV modules and provides PV import testing at Rotterdam and Valencia plus factory inspections in Asia, serving module manufacturers, research labs, and solar power producers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersBedford, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Spire does
Spire, operating through its Eternal Sun Spire subsidiary in Spijkenisse, Netherlands, develops and manufactures high-end solar simulation equipment used for IV-testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules and provides PV import testing and factory inspection services. The company's hardware portfolio centers on two technology platforms: LED-based steady-state solar simulators (including the Class AAA LED-based Solar Simulator, Mini LED Light Soaker, and High Performance Light Soaker) and Xenon-based flash solar simulators (including the SPIRE Xenon Solar Flasher and the SPIRE Temperature Controlled Laboratory Flasher), supported by measurement accessories such as the Flasher Micro Uniformity Measurement Tool and the Uniformity Calibration Robot. All flagship simulators are certified to A+A+A+ class under IEC 60904-9 ed. 3 and support the full range of PV technologies (PERC, IBC, HJT, perovskite/tandem, CdTe) including bifacial, half-cut, shingled, and large-format modules.
The business operates two revenue streams. The first is capital equipment sales to solar module manufacturers, PV research institutions, and solar power producers, sold via direct B2B enterprise sales with quote-based procurement and no publicly disclosed pricing. The second is professional services: PV import testing at the ports of Rotterdam (operated through OdinSpire, a wholly-owned sub-brand) and Valencia, plus on-site factory inspections in China and Southeast Asia. The company also markets complementary IEC 61215 / IEC 61730 / IEC 61853 certification lab infrastructure and runs technical webinars and whitepapers as content-marketing channels targeting solar industry professionals. Stefan Roest is the founder and CTO, and the company describes itself as a "worldwide leading" manufacturer of solar module testing equipment.
Spire firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spire
- Legal name
- Eternalsun Spire
- Website
- https://spirecorp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Spire (via Eternal Sun Spire) manufactures LED and Xenon-based solar simulators for IV-testing PV modules and provides PV import testing at Rotterdam and Valencia plus factory inspections in Asia, serving module manufacturers, research labs, and solar power producers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spire industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Testing Equipment
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Quality, Testing, Certification & Standards (Lab Testing, Inspections, Compliance) (EUAMABAN)
Keywords
Where Spire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bedford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Spire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Solar Simulator Equipment Sales: Sale of high-end solar testing equipment including LED-based steady-state simulators, XENON flash solar simulators, and temperature controlled laboratory flashers for PV module testing
- Testing & Inspection Services: PV import testing services in ports (Rotterdam, Valencia) and factory inspections in China and Southeast Asia for quality assurance in the solar supply chain
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Spire product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spire, through its Eternal Sun Spire subsidiary, manufactures and sells high-end solar module testing equipment — LED-based steady-state solar simulators and Xenon-based flash solar simulators — used by PV module manufacturers, research institutions, and power producers to perform IV-testing, certification, and quality control. The equipment portfolio is complemented by PV import testing services at the ports of Rotterdam and Valencia (under the OdinSpire sub-brand) and on-site factory inspection services in China and South-East Asia.
Product overview
Eternal Sun Spire is a solar testing equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of solar simulation products and inspection services. The product line centers on three core equipment categories: LED-based steady-state solar simulators (including the Class AAA Steady-State LED Simulator, Mini LED Light Soaker, and High Performance Light Soaker), Xenon flash solar simulators (including the SPIRE Xenon Solar Flasher and SPIRE Temperature Controlled Laboratory Flasher), and precision measurement accessories (Flasher Micro Uniformity Measurement Tool and Uniformity Calibration Robot). These products enable IV-testing for all PV technologies including PERC, IBC, HJT, Perovskite, CdTe, bifacial, half-cut cell, shingled, and large modules. The portfolio is complemented by three testing services: PV Factory Inspections in China/South-East Asia, and PV import testing at the ports of Rotterdam and Valencia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OdinSpire: PV import testing services at ports of Rotterdam and Valencia
Products and services
- Class AAA Steady-State LED-based Solar Simulator A+A+A+ LED-based steady-state solar simulator suitable for laboratory IV-testing of PV modules, including tandem and perovskite architectures, with tunable spectrum and adjustable irradiance.
- SPIRE Xenon Solar Flasher Xenon-based flash sun simulator for solar panel IV-testing in both laboratory and manufacturing environments, featuring A+A+A+ class illumination and Xenon Single Long Pulse >110ms.
- SPIRE Temperature Controlled Laboratory Flasher Laboratory flash solar simulator for high-accuracy IV-testing and temperature coefficient measurements (IEC 61215, IEC 61853) with 230ms Xenon Single Long Pulse and stable 10°C–85°C temperature control.
- Mini LED Light Soaker Steady-state LED solar simulator for testing PV cells up to mini modules, with a 50x50cm testing area, Class A+A+A+ illumination up to 36,000 hours, and precise sample temperature control.
- High Performance Light Soaker (HPLS AAA) High-performance LED-based light soaker for accelerated aging and stability testing of PV modules with extended continuous operation.
- Large Area Steady State (LASS AAA) Large-area Class AAA steady-state solar simulator for IV-testing full-sized PV modules.
- Uniformity Calibration Robot Automated robotic system for calibrating illumination uniformity across solar simulator testing surfaces.
- Flasher Micro Uniformity Measurement Tool Standalone measurement tool for assessing the micro-uniformity performance of flash solar simulators to ensure precise illumination quality.
- PV Import Testing — Port of Rotterdam Third-party PV import testing service operated by OdinSpire at the port of Rotterdam, providing quality verification of incoming solar module shipments for installers, EPCs, and utility buyers.
- PV Import Testing — Port of Valencia PV import testing service at the port of Valencia, providing independent quality verification of incoming solar module shipments.
- PV Factory Inspections (China and South-East Asia) On-site factory inspection service for PV manufacturing facilities in China and South-East Asia, verifying production quality and compliance for buyers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Xenon Single Long Pulse >110ms for manufacturing flashers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Spire
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Spire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Spire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Spire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TÜV Rheinland: Global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) giant that operates PV certification labs and conducts PV module testing services. Competes with Eternal Sun Spire's OdinSpire port-testing and factory inspection service lines, not the equipment business.
- Chroma ATE: Taiwanese test-and-measurement incumbent with a broad portfolio spanning power electronics, battery, and solar IV-testing equipment. Offers PV testing solutions as part of a much wider portfolio, competing with Eternal Sun Spire primarily in manufacturing flashers.
- Keysight Technologies: Global leader in electronic test and measurement equipment. While not focused on PV-specific A+A+A+ simulators, Keysight supplies power analyzers and source-measure units that compete with adjacent portions of Eternal Sun Spire's measurement stack.
- Newport Corporation (MKS Instruments): US-based supplier of light sources, optical measurement, and solar simulation components. Broader portfolio than Eternal Sun Spire but competes in the OEM solar simulation light source segment and supplies research-grade PV testing labs.
Direct peers
- Endeas Oy: Finnish manufacturer of solar simulators and IV-testing equipment for PV modules. Closely comparable product portfolio to Eternal Sun Spire, with both steady-state and flash solutions for research and manufacturing customers.
- Pasan (now part of Meyer Burger): Swiss manufacturer of flash solar simulators for module IV-testing; one of the most direct competitors to Eternal Sun Spire's Xenon flasher product line. Now part of Meyer Burger, a vertically integrated PV equipment maker.
- Sinton Instruments: US-based manufacturer of solar cell and module characterization instruments, including lifetime and IV-testing tools. Direct competitor in the research and manufacturing PV testing market.
- Wavelabs: German cell-level solar simulator manufacturer; explicitly named as Eternal Sun Spire's complementary cell testing partner. Sells LED-based solar simulators for cells (vs. Eternal Sun Spire's module focus), making them a directly comparable and adjacent peer.
- HALM elektronik: German manufacturer of I-V curve measurement equipment and flashers for PV modules. Directly comparable to Eternal Sun Spire's flasher product line and competes in the same European tier-1 manufacturer market.
Regional players
- Spectrolab (Boeing): US-based (Boeing subsidiary) manufacturer of space-grade solar cells and related IV-testing equipment. Comparable to Eternal Sun Spire in advanced cell/module characterization (including space applications referenced on Eternal Sun Spire's site) but focused primarily on the US space/defense market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Spire social profiles
Digital presenceSpire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Spire subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Spire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Spire
What does Spire do?
Spire, through its Eternal Sun Spire subsidiary, manufactures and sells high-end solar module testing equipment — LED-based steady-state solar simulators and Xenon-based flash solar simulators — used by PV module manufacturers, research institutions, and power producers to perform IV-testing, certification, and quality control. The equipment portfolio is complemented by PV import testing services at the ports of Rotterdam and Valencia (under the OdinSpire sub-brand) and on-site factory inspection services in China and South-East Asia.
Is Spire a public or private company?
Spire is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Spire founded?
Spire was founded in 1969. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Spire based?
Spire is headquartered in Bedford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Spire make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Solar Simulator Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are testing & Inspection Services.
Who are Spire's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TÜV Rheinland, Chroma ATE, Keysight Technologies and Newport Corporation (MKS Instruments). Direct peers are Endeas Oy, Pasan (now part of Meyer Burger), Sinton Instruments, Wavelabs and HALM elektronik. Spectrolab (Boeing) is listed as a regional player.
Does Spire have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spire.
What industry is Spire in?
Spire's product category is Solar Testing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAN, Solar Quality, Testing, Certification & Standards (Lab Testing, Inspections, Compliance). Its NAICS code is 54138 and its SIC code is 8734.