Hanwha Q Cells said Wednesday it has received a prestigious award in Germany, taking the first place in the electrical industry category, topping major local players including R. Stahl and Dehn und Söhne.

Arranged by German publication Focus Money, the award commissioned the Institute for Management and Economic Research to analyze 15.7 million online customer responses on some 5,000 companies across 270 industries and chose the most reputable companies evaluated by various categories. Previous winners include German airline Lufthansa and Best Western, a global hotel chain.

Hanwha Q Cells was given “highest reputation” seal and the highest rating of “outstanding.”

“It is a great honor and encouraging confirmation to receive the seal. The award will serve as an incentive for us to consolidate our reputation in Germany,” said Kim Maeng-yoon, head of EU sales.

Hanwha Q Cells is the No. 1 solar module company in the German market, commanding a 11.5 percent market share.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)