CAMARILLO : Siemens Solar to Lay Off 28 Workers

One of Camarillo’s largest employers announced Wednesday that it is laying off 28 of its 400 workers at the end of this week.

Siemens Solar Industries will lay off the workers even though the company is doing well in its business of manufacturing solar panels for residential and commercial construction, company officials said.

“This was actually a proactive effort to be competitive and to continue to be profitable,” spokeswoman Deanna L. Perez said. “Siemens Solar has had a very good year.”

A division of the German multinational firm Siemens Corp., Siemens Solar Industries is located on Adohr Lane in Camarillo.

Only four other companies in the city employ as many or more people: 3M Corp., which has 950 workers; Unisys with 500; Harris Corp. with 450, and WTC Industries with 400, according to the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce.

Perez said 15 of the employees who are losing their jobs are salaried, while the other 13 are paid by the hour.

Camarillo City Councilman Ken Gose said he sees the layoffs as a sign that the local economy is still gripped by recession.

Gose said he feels badly for the people who have lost their jobs in today’s poor economy. “It wouldn’t be so bad if there were other jobs they could go to.”