Antaris Solar announced this week that it will be expanding its market from Pennsylvania to New Jersey—building its reach on the East Coast. The expansion marks a stepping stone in Antaris’ long-term business goal—to proliferate the U.S. market.

Vincent Agnihotri, U.S. sales manager for Antaris, explained that New Jersey proved an attractive expansion locale because it is a leading region for solar development.

“New Jersey is the largest market in the East Coast,” said Agnihotri. “Because it’s the largest solar market, this expansion was always in our plan.”

According to a 2011 report, issued by the Solar Energy Industries Association, New Jersey’s solar market grew 170 percent from the first to the second quarter of this year—superseding California as the U.S. leader in solar development. New Jersey’s domination of the solar market, according to the report, is due to the solar rebates and incentives the state provides to businesses looking to distribute, install and manufacture within state lines.

Antaris Solar looks to expand its current market by providing more opportunities for sales.

“Our long-term goal is to develop a couple of hundred installers and service their needs in the expanding market for both residential and rooftop commercial businesses,” said Agnihotri.

Agnihotri said that Antaris’ expansion is anticipated to be a success because the business operates on an already functional model.

“Our German business has very successfully integrated that model. And our intent is to replicate that model here in the U.S., and preferable on the East Coast.”

Antaris Solar provides photovoltaic panels and design services, and is currently headquartered in central Pennsylvania. Bergen County, New Jersey, provides the site for the new satellite office, and the expansion into New Jersey looks to take about a year.

“We are going to establish a sales organization. So I think we are planning on spending the next year building the business in New Jersey, with support from Pennsylvania,” Agnihotri said. “We will continue our current services, which is to design solar systems and provide modules, inverters, mounting systems, and cables all in one package, so the installer can do the installation in a more profitable way.”

Based in Germany, the Antaris Group looks to continue expansion in the U.S. in the upcoming years.