Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation (HSC)
Polycrystalline Silicon for Electronics and Solar Devices

The Hemlock Semiconductor group, which includes two Dow Corning Corporation joint ventures, Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation (HSC) and Hemlock Semiconductor LLC, invested up to $3.0 billion to expand polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) production, a key raw material used to manufacture solar cells and semiconductor devices.

This expansion includes an initial investment of $1.2 billion to build a new site in Clarksville, Tenn., and up to $1 billion to expand current Hemlock operations in Saginaw County, Mich. Combined, the new Clarksville operations may add up to 34,000 metric tons of polysilicon capacity and ultimately as much as $3.0 billion in investments.

In total, the Hemlock Semiconductor group has announced investments of up to $4.5 billion in the past five years to increase polysilicon capacity.

"This announcement offers solar industry leaders confidence that polysilicon supply will be available as the solar and electronics industries continue to grow and innovate," said Rick Doornbos, President and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation.

This is the third major expansion announced at the Michigan site in the last five years. In total, HSC has committed to invest as much as $2.5 billion at the site. This latest expansion will add up to 13,000 metric tons of capacity while creating up to 300 permanent jobs, as well as employing more than 800 construction workers.

Saginaw Future, Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and a regional legislative delegation all played important roles in the expansion process.