SolarWorld hiring 350 workers in Hillsboro, Oregon

May 5, 2010

Solar manufacturer SolarWorld is hiring 350 workers in Hillsboro, Oregon, as it expands its factory operations.

The company, which is part of German group SolarWorld AG, is ramping up its crystalline silicon wafer and cell manufacturing efforts at the Hillsboro site to 500MW annual capacity.

It plans to increase its workforce at the site from 650 up to around 1,000 by September 30.

I especially want to applaud SolarWorld’s commitment to focus its efforts on returning veterans” - Senator Ron Wyden

SolarWorld said today it expects to interview many hundreds of job seekers, including soldiers returning from the Middle East, for positions ranging from supply production operators, administrators and engineers.

Including its plant in Camarillo, California, SolarWorld will employ around 1,250 people in the US from this Fall.

Over coming months, job seekers can keep track of employment postings and application instructions at the company’s online Job & Career center on its US website (www.solarworld-usa.com).

“A great Oregon success story”

Commenting on the expansion, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski said: “SolarWorld is a great Oregon success story. This next phase opens the doors of opportunity for hundreds of Oregonians seeking employment and advances the production of clean, renewable energy.”

The expansion of its US manufacturing capabilities has been five years in the making, SolarWorld said. It has been supported partly by tax incentives from the city of Hillsboro, the state of Oregon and the US government via the Recovery Act.

US Senator Ron Wyden said the company’s expansion was a “welcome milestone” in his home state’s efforts to boost its green economy.

Sen Wyden said: “I especially want to applaud SolarWorld’s commitment to focus its efforts on returning veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. These men and women have made tremendous sacrifices to serve their state and their nation.

“It is fitting that a company in need of skilled, disciplined and dedicated workers is reaching out to them. I encourage all Oregon businesses to follow their lead,” added the Senator.

The SolarWorld Group, which has its main manufacturing operations in Hillsboro and in Freiburg, Germany, is involved in all stages of solar module production, from production of silicon wafers through to cells and modules themselves.

The company sells solar modules to installers and distributors, and also sells crystalline silicon wafers to other solar module manufacturers. Worldwide, the company now employs more than 2,700 people.