Microchip: Too early to comment on Bend Microsemi
Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 3, 2018
It’s too early to tell whether Microchip Technology Inc., which plans to acquire Microsemi Corp., would re-evaluate Microsemi’s plan to ship overseas the production work currently carried out in Bend, a Microchip spokeswoman said Friday.
The spokeswoman responded to an email inquiry from The Bulletin and did not give her full name. “Thanks for reaching out — it’s far too early for us to comment on this level of detail,” the spokeswoman said.
The acquisition, worth an estimated $10.35 billion, was announced Thursday. Microchip Technology, based in Chandler, Arizona, hopes to close the deal by the end of the second quarter.
Microsemi Corp. expects that 100 people will lose their jobs by the time the Bend production facility closes in 2020, according to a petition filed in the fall with the U.S. Department of Labor seeking Trade Adjustment Assistance for the workers. The program provides tuition and stipends to workers whose jobs are moved overseas.
The Labor Department certified the petition Feb. 1, making affected workers eligible for the benefits, which go beyond standard unemployment insurance compensation. The certification will apply to people who work at Microsemi through staffing companies, according to the ruling letter.