Connecting solar and storage specialists to pioneering Chinese companies

Chinese companies are the undisputed leaders in solar module manufacturing, supplying over 80% of the world’s solar panels.

Data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory published in 2023 shows that six of the world’s seven largest solar panel manufacturers are Chinese companies. It dominates production across the entire supply chain, and this position is expected to increase in years to come: China’s market share is projected to rise to 95% in coming years.

And the country isn’t just an exporter: it installed more solar panels in 2023 than any other nation has built in total, adding 216GW last year – more than the entire US solar capacity of 175.2GW. This commanding position means that when it comes to solar energy, Chinese companies are the last word.

Our track record with the world’s leading solar manufacturers

When China’s solar leaders need skilled, experienced people to continue this incredible growth, they come to Taylor Hopkinson.

Our world-leading renewables expertise and recruitment capability, combined with the extensive footprint and approach to compliance of our colleagues at Brunel, has made us the number one recruitment and global mobility partner for the largest Chinese onshore renewables businesses.

With a 15-year track record in the sector, we’ve delivered exceptional people for seven of the world’s top ten solar module manufacturers. In fact, we’ve made over 1000 placements with Chinese clients, ranging from engineering experts to business development, sales and strategy specialists.

We do this across the world – our diverse, multinational team has placed specialists across Europe for Chinese solar manufacturers, facilitating international relocations to the UK, France, Spain, Germany and the Nordics all the way to Greece and Israel. In all, we’ve delivered over 100 roles in EMEA for our Chinese partners.

Why partner with Taylor Hopkinson for solar and storage recruitment?

Together, Taylor Hopkinson and Brunel have 10 entities throughout China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and over 400 staff supporting clients and projects at present. We also have regional onshore renewables hubs in Miami, Glasgow, Valencia and Singapore, enabling us to help Chinese companies in all of their overseas markets.

“Our multi-lingual teams go above and beyond for our Chinese clients,” says Jamie Taylor, Managing Director, EMEA at Taylor Hopkinson. “We don’t just find talent – we catalyse growth. We assist in setting up new entities, ensuring 100% compliance on all contracts, and consulting on the nuances of employment in international markets.

“The combination of capabilities we have in the team – native Chinese speakers, deep expertise in recruitment and technology, and the global footprint of our colleagues at Brunel – these make the difference and make us the number one choice for the leading companies in the sector.”

Solar and storage client success stories

For over eight years, we’ve forged a position as key talent partner to one of the world’s top seven solar manufacturers, with an annual revenue of over £10bn and over 23,000 employees. We’re working together across all of its key business areas, including its PV modules, battery storage, tracker systems and projects. Together, we’ve placed over 100 exceptional professionals across EMEA, the Americas and APAC.

To support our client’s expansion following its IPO, in 2021 we were retained to deliver a large volume of new employees on a short timescale. Our expertise, network and deep sector knowledge helped the company meet its ambitious targets and we enjoy a successful ongoing partnership.

“Taylor Hopkinson stands out due to the high level of professionalism, flexibility and reliability they provide to us and our candidates,” says a Senior Manager at this client. “The team knows and understands the renewable energy sector and has a great network which we benefit from… it has been a pleasure working with Taylor Hopkinson and we look forward to continuing our partnership.”

We’re also an exclusive recruitment partner to the USA business of one of the top five world solar module manufacturers, with a revenue of over £14bn and production facilities in four countries. We’ve delivered over 20 key strategic hires and supported the build-out of the team nationally, including Head of Business Development, Regional Sales Directors, Operations Manager, Senior Marketing Manager, Logistics Manager, Finance Manager and Legal Manager.

In addition, we’ve provided extensive salary benchmarking and market mapping services, giving our client valuable insight to help it succeed in a new market. Our client benefits from a fruitful global recruitment framework with Taylor Hopkinson and Brunel, and we have provided specialist services throughout EMEA, APAC and the Americas.

By choosing Taylor Hopkinson, all of our clients benefit from our deep solar and storage expertise, our diverse team and cultural understanding, and our extensive global footprint – all underpinned by the unwavering approach to quality and compliance shared by our colleagues at Brunel.