Wood Mackenzie, a research institution, pointed out in the "2026 Global Bracket Manufacturers Ranking" report that the top ten photovoltaic bracket manufacturers are increasing their investment in artificial intelligence applications and advanced materials to improve bracket performance and reduce photovoltaic project costs.
According to the report, Nextpower leads Wood Mackenzie's 2026 photovoltaic bracket ranking, followed closely by Tianhe Tracking and Array Technologies, ranking second and third.
The remaining positions in the ranking are occupied by three Spanish photovoltaic bracket companies: Solar Steel, PV Hardware and Axial, American company Game Change, and three Chinese bracket companies - Antai, Zhongxin Bo, and Weisheng.
Wood Mackenzie pointed out that the ranking covers companies from three continents, highlighting the increasing importance of regional manufacturing layout.
The research institution added that photovoltaic developers, investors, and lenders are increasingly emphasizing the availability of financing, supply chain resilience, and operational reliability when choosing bracket suppliers.
The procurement of brackets has entered a new stage, and financiability is becoming equally important as technical performance, "said Timothy Shen, Senior Research Analyst at Wood Mackenzie Solar Supply Chain.
With stricter financing standards, buyers are increasingly looking at quality assurance capabilities, service capabilities, and supply chain transparency. Manufacturers who can prove long-term reliability are gaining a clear competitive advantage.
At the time of this year's ranking release, the major photovoltaic market is facing accelerated localization of supply chains, evolving trade policies, and increasingly stringent financing requirements. These factors are reshaping procurement strategies and prompting buyers to scrutinize supplier capabilities beyond manufacturing scale itself.
In addition, another key finding of this year's report is that nine out of the top ten manufacturers achieved profitability by 2025. Earlier this year, PV Tech analyzed Zhongxin Bo's financial performance for 2025 and how the increasingly fierce market competition in the Middle East has weakened the company's advantage in the region.
Wood Mackenzie believes that this highlights the importance of maintaining financial resilience amidst fluctuations in steel prices, logistics disruptions, and tariff risks.
Wood Mackenzie's ranking evaluates manufacturers from eight dimensions, including after-sales service and quality assurance, research and development capabilities, supply chain stability, ESG and CSR performance, capacity utilization, third-party certification, financial condition, and manufacturing experience. The evaluation is based on the performance and market performance for the entire year of 2025.
Finally, in the past two years, several American bracket manufacturers have expanded their product and service portfolio beyond photovoltaic bracket manufacturing by acquiring or investing in companies in the fields of solar infrastructure, electronic balance systems, robots, or component frames.
