Japan’s electronics giant has decided to nix its solar panel production by February at its Welsh plant. As a result, Sharp announced that 250 jobs would be cut. Sharp CEO for Europe, Middle East, and Africa Hiroshi Sasaoka said, “It’s with sincere regret that we have decided to end solar panel production in Wrexham.”
In addition to the 250 jobs that will be lost, Sharp also announced that it would not renew agency workers’ contracts that are estimated to total around 365 jobs.
The Welsh factory has been producing solar panels for almost a decade, but the company cited cost concerns as its reasoning for closing shop. The company told the BBC that commercial production was cost sensitive and with panels being increasingly sold in Japan rather than Europe, it was no longer feasible to manufacture in the UK. Sasaoka added that although solar panel production would be cut, Sharp is investigating additional products for development at the plant.
He added that starting in 2014, production for the Japanese market will be outsourced. Could this mean that Africa might have a Sharp production line?
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