rec silicon

Interviewed by this publication, James May says things are not as dire as they seem for the firm as it mulls a factory sale to stave off trade war impacts.

Escalating US-China trade tensions have seen polysilicon manufacturer record slump in profits, with one facility halted and another now facing potential exit.

Polysilicon producer REC Silicon is reducing its workforce at its plant in Moses Lake, Washington, US by approximately 100 employees as the trade war with China continues.

Leading polysilicon and solar wafer producer GCL-Poly Energy Holdings has announced that its new Xinjiang polysilicon production plant’s annual nameplate capacity will be increased to 60,000MT, up from the revised plans mid-year to increase the capacity from 40,000MT to 50,000MT.

Polysilicon producer REC Silicon has been forced to sell solar grade (FBR) polysilicon below cash cost, due to weak demand and ASP declines, driven by demand curtailment in China and continued polysilicon capacity expansions.

Chemicals firm Wacker Chemie has painted a rosier picture of polysilicon supply and demand in 2018 than most when reporting a small second quarter decline in polysilicon revenue.

Polysilicon producer REC Silicon expects its FBR (Fluidized bed reactor) polysilicon production to decline 42% in the third quarter of 2018, after recently announcing further cuts in workforce and production at its Moses Lake facility that would operate at only 25% utilisation rates. The company noted that it was evaluating the possible suspension of all of its solar related materials business in the US.

REC Silicon is further reducing its workforce in Moses Lake, Washington due to the ongoing solar trade war between China and the US.

Polysilicon producer REC Silicon said it had achieved 800MT of FBR (Fluidized Bed Reactor) granular polysilicon production at its Joint Venture (JV) plant in Yulin, China in the first quarter of 2018.

In President Trump's statement imposing a 30% import duty on all foreign made crystalline silicon solar cells and modules reference was made to renewed efforts that would be made to resolve the trade war with China over polysilicon duties on US producers, effectively locking them out of the market.