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Dow Corning majority-owned subsidary Hemlock Semiconductor will not be affected by the parent company's plans to cut 800 jobs, or 8% of its 10,000-strong worldwide workforce. The company offered no further details on the specific regional impacts of the layoffs, other than to say that reductions will occur at all of Dow Corning's global sites.

''While significant and serious, we have been able to keep the reduction of our workforce to these levels by reducing other costs across the company,'' said Stephanie Burns, chairwoman/president/CEO of Dow Corning, a joint venture between Dow Chemical and Corning.

Dow Corning is investing more than $2 billion in Hemlock, the industry leading solar and IC polysilicon manufacturer. The main plant in Saginaw County, Michigan, in undergoing a $1 billion expansion, while another $1.2 billion is being spent on the construction of a new poly factory in Clarksville, TN.

Once operational, the new production lines will push Hemlock's total poly capacity over 14,000 metric tons in 2009 and to more than 19,000 metric tons in 2010.