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REC to shut Swedish module plant, lay off 300 workers
22.09.10
Norwegian solar-energy firm REC will close its 150MW module plant in Glava, Sweden, with 300 people expected to lose their jobs.
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REC’s 180MW solar cell plant in Narvik, Norway, will not be affected, the company says in a statement.
REC is in the process of shifting the bulk of its wafer, cell and module manufacturing to a new factory in Singapore.
“The financial performance of the plant has remained unsatisfactory, and despite the efforts of the Glava team, the prospects for the long-term competitiveness of the plant are weak,” says chief operating officer John Andersen.
The plant will continue producing modules at a reduced capacity until the end of the year. REC says it will attempt to help employees find new jobs.
The cells produced in Narvik will be used in REC’s new Peak Energy Module series, partly through the Singapore facility and partly through other contract manufacturing arrangements. Consequently, REC expects to maintain its current capabilities for supply of modules and at the same time improve its overall cost position.
REC has acknowledged that its production is far most cost competitive in Singapore than at any of its Scandinavian facilities.
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