PVTIME – Powin, an energy storage firm based in Oregon and headquartered in Tualatin, has filed a formal notice with local and state officials warning of a potential business shutdown.
Picture: Powin
Under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, the company can lay off almost 250 employees, including senior executives, by 28 July if current business conditions do not improve. The Act requires employers with 100 or more staff to give 60 days’ notice before mass redundancies or closures, and all affected workers will face permanent termination if operations cease.
This announcement comes just weeks after Powin unveiled a new 6.26 MWh containerised lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with enhanced energy density, following a round of layoffs in late April. The firm has not specified the reasons for the potential shutdown, though industry analysts cite supply chain disruptions and tighter clean energy credit markets as possible factors.
The potential closure of Powin’s Tualatin hub, which employed over 300 people at its peak, would have an impact on Oregon’s growing cleantech sector. A spokesperson for the state labour department said officials were ready to help displaced workers with retraining programmes. Powin, which has deployed over 2 GWh of storage systems globally, has not commented on contingency plans or funding efforts as the 28 July deadline approaches.
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