BP Solar has announced plans to refocus its manufacturing activities in order to reduce unit costs and improve its competitiveness. The company has said that it will achieve this through access to lower cost supplies.
As a result of the cost reduction strategy, BP Solar has said that the module assembly will be phased out at its Frederick, Maryland, facility; and the company will close its cell manufacture and module assembly facilities in Madrid, Spain. Silicon casting, wafering, sizing and solar cell production will continue at Frederick.
According to the company, the phase out of module assembly at Frederick will result in the elimination of approximately 140 jobs out of about 600. In Spain, the losses will be approximately 480 positions out of 575, of which around 280 are at the Tres Cantos site and around 200 at San Sebastian de Los Reyes.
Reyad Fezzani, CEO of BP Solar, said: This comes at a time when solar markets are unsettled by the impact of the global economic environment, an over-supplied market, increased competition and rapidly falling prices. The decision is part of the long term strategy to reduce the cost of solar power to that of conventional electricity.
We deeply regret the impact of this business decision on our employees and the local communities.
