The Brazilian arm of Amerisolar, a Chinese maker of solar panels, will open in late June a factory it has built near the southeastern Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, Diário do Comércio reports.

The Brazilian newspaper quotes Amerisolar Brasil Chief Executive Gustavo Henrique de Almeida as saying the factory is meant to produce 30,000 panels a month, and make 100 million reals (about US$17.7 million) for the company in its first year of operation.

Mr Almeida said his company expected strong demand at home and abroad.

The report says the factory is in near Belo Horizonte International Airport, in Minas Gerais state, in the Confins free trade zone, where industrial raw materials are exempt from import duties.

Amerisolar Brasil is a joint venture by Amerisolar and Nova Renováveis of Brazil, Diário do Comércio says.