Thalheim, Germany-based Q-Cells announced plans today to boost its solar cell production with a new plant in Malaysia.

The news comes as the company, which said it's now the world's largest manufacturer of solar cells, released preliminary 2007 results, reporting a 59 percent rise in sales.

The company said its sales were 858.9 million euros, or $1.26 billion, beating its own expected results of at least 800 million euros.

Q-Cells increased its production in 2007 to 389.2 megawatts, which it said is greater than its largest competitors, Osaka, Japan's Sharp (OTC: SHCAY) and Wuxi, China-based Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP).

The Malaysia production line would be the company's seventh and is set for a maximum capacity of more than 300 MW.

Q-Cells did not disclose how much the new plant would cost.

The first phase of construction, with a capacity of 160 MW, is scheduled to ramp up production in the first quarter of 2009.

The company also plans to boost manufacturing of thin film modules at its Calyxo subsidiary in Germany.

Q-Cells said the unit, which makes thin film modules based on cadmium telluride technology, will boost its production to 60 MW, up from the 25 MW currently under construction.

The additional Calyxo production is expected to start up in the second quarter of 2009.