January 12 2021
Just a few years ago, Hillsboro took pride in being home to SolarWorld. A lot has changed.
It s the end of an era: The former SolarWorld solar panel manufacturing plant in Hillsboro is now expected to close its doors for good this year.
It s a tough break for 170 factory workers still employed at the facility, who join long unemployment lines during this tenacious pandemic and follow hundreds more out the door, after years of cutbacks and layoffs at the plant.
The solar panel factory won a reprieve in 2018. This time three years ago, SolarWorld was seriously considering closing the plant, which had just undergone a painful round of job cuts. But rival company SunPower bought SolarWorld that year, and its executives decided to keep the Hillsboro facility open at least, until now.