Local EconomyThursday, November 5
WE Soda will cut more than 350 jobs as it moves its Green River mine to solution mining
The Good Day Rock Springs team
WE Soda announced Wednesday that it will move its Westvaco mine near Green River from dry ore underground mining to solution mining. The company will cut more than 350 positions over two years, taking its Wyoming workforce from more than 850 roles to about 500.
WE Soda's Wyoming workforce would shrink from more than 850 to about 500
Sources: WyomingNews.com, Wyo4News
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Today (more than 850) | 850 |
| In two years (about 500) | 500 |
WE Soda blames low-cost Chinese soda ash exports. CEO Alasdair Warren said, "Every export ton that comes from Wyoming today loses money."
- Workforce cut: more than 41%
- Production: down by more than 1.5 million metric tons a year
- Sales focus: U.S., Canada and Mexico, plus specialty customers worldwide
- Union: talks began Wednesday; formal legal notices issued
The job cuts would come in stages through 2028
- 2025WE Soda buys Genesis Alkali's Westvaco and Granger operations in a $1.4 billion deal.
- Nov. 2026WE Soda announces the move to solution mining and the workforce cuts.
- Q1 2027Workforce reductions begin.
- 2028Reductions continue in stages through the year.
Sources: Cowboy State Daily, WyomingNews.com, Wyo4News
United Steelworkers Local 13214 President Marshal Cummings said the union's executive board met with the company at 7 a.m., 90 minutes before the announcement. He called the news "almost like a sucker punch," and his next focus is bargaining over severance.
Sources: Cowboy State Daily, WyomingNews.com, Wyo4News