Hemlock Semiconductor Group plans to lay off approximately 400 employees in Michigan and Tennessee in the coming weeks in response to significant oversupply in the polysilicon industry and the threat of potential tariffs on its products sold into China.
These actions will affect approximately 300 employees at Hemlock Semiconductor's Tennessee site and 100 at its Michigan site, as the company evaluates the longer-term impact of these conditions on its business. Should market conditions persist, these layoffs could become permanent, Hemlock Semiconductor says.
Andrew Tometich, president of Hemlock Semiconductor, explains that ‘unresolved trade disputes’ in the U.S., China and Europe factored heavily into the decision. In particular, possible tariffs on solar silicon imported into China from the U.S. have cut into the company's Chinese orders.
The Michigan site will continue to reduce production to align with current customer demand. The Tennessee facility, which is nearly completed with its construction phase, will maintain a minimum workforce focused on safely maintaining the site for eventual production.
