Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation
Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation, named after Hemlock, Michigan, is the largest producer of polysilicon in the United States. It is a subsidiary of Dow Corning and was founded in 1961.[1]
Its current facilities produce some 36,000 tons of polysilicon, ranking it among the top 5 producers worldwide.[1] The expansion is a new $1.2 billion plant in Tennessee since 2008 with its Japanese joint venture partners Shin-Etsu Chemical and Mitsubishi Materials, due to open in 2012. This same plant is under negotiation for yet another $3 billion expansion to keep apace with Chinese rivals.[2]
On December 17, 2014, Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation announced its new $1.2 billion facility located near Clarksville, Tennessee, will be permanently closed due to adverse conditions created by industry oversupply and ongoing challenges presented by global trade disputes. Most of the approximately fifty employees at the Tennessee plant will be offered employment positions at Hemlock Semiconductor or Dow Corning facilities located in Michigan, while the others will receive severance packages.[3]