Portland — SolarWorld said Monday that it plans to hire back some of the workers it laid off last summer, following a favorable ruling last week from the U.S. International Trade Commission.
However, any significant hiring may still hinge on action from President Donald Trump, who must consider whether to slap tariffs or other penalties on solar products imported from China.
The trade commission ruled Friday that Chinese imports had caused substantial harm to American manufacturers, but the law gives the president final say on whether to impose penalties, and what kind.
The trade commission is due make a recommendation to Trump on November 13. Typically, presidents act within a couple months of receiving that recommendation.
“With relief from surging imports in sight, we believe we can rev up our manufacturing engine and increase our economic impact,” SolarWorld chief executive Juergen Stein said Monday.
SolarWorld’s employment has fallen from about 800 to 300 amid pressures on the business. The company said Monday it will begin ramping up production and could hire up to 200 workers by May.
The company did not say what will happen, though, if Trump does not order sanctions on Chinese imports before then.
The president has been a fierce critic of Chinese trade practices and an advocate for American manufacturing.
And the American solar industry is deeply split on the question of tariffs. While SolarWorld badly wants the U.S. to act, solar installers want to keep panel prices low, regardless of their country of origin. Installers employs tens of thousands across the country.
The case is the second time this year Trump has held the fate of an Oregon company in his hands. He blocked Lattice Semiconductor’s $1.3 billion sale to Chinese investors, concluding the citing national security.
