Qcells furloughs 1000 workers in US solar factories because of stalled shipments

Qcells, a U.S. subsidiary of Hanwha of Korea, has announced that it will lay off 1,000 workers from its Georgia plants because U.S. Customs officials are routinely delaying shipments of parts it needs.

The company announced the news months after it said that some of its shipments had been held at U.S. port under a law which will be in effect by 2021 and ban imports from China’s Xinjiang due to concerns over forced labor.

Qcells is investing $2.5 billion in a complete U.S. supply chain for solar panels to compete with China. The company imports panels assembled from cells manufactured in Malaysia and South Korea. The company is also increasing its U.S. manufacturing of cells in Cartersville Georgia.

Qcells anticipates resuming full production within the next few weeks or months. Marta Stoepker, Qcells spokesperson, said in a press release that the company remains committed to building up the entire solar supply chains in the United States. We will be back in full force with our Georgia team, delivering American-made power to communities across the country.

Stoepker stated that the detained shipments of the company have cleared customs but that the delays forced the company into a production cutback.

Qcells has reduced the working hours of about half its manufacturing staff at its plants in Cartersville, Georgia and Dalton. It has also laid off about 300 workers from staffing agencies. (Reporting and editing by Diane Craft; Nicholl Groom)

(source: Reuters)