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TRONA, Calif. () — Nearly seven years ago, three powerful earthquakes rocked the desert community of Trona. Now, residents say news of 300 layoffs at the largest employer in town is perhaps causing even more devastation.
“A lot of people, from what I hear, are already putting their houses up for sale and getting out of here,” said William Stephens, who’s worked at Searles Valley Minerals for seven years.
“I’m assuming by the (Feb) 20th we’ll find out if we’re one of the ones being laid off. It’s definitely a shell-shocker, if I’m being honest, especially living in a small town like Trona,” Stephens said. “A lot of people depend on the plant.”
Searles Valley Minerals produces soda ash, which is used in glass manufacturing, detergents and chemical processing.
“They’re broke. That’s all it comes down to,” said Edward Sprouse, who worked at the plant for decades before retiring in 2009.
He said economic pressures are making it difficult for the facility to remain profitable.
“The Chinese are making synthetic soda ash, so if they’re doing that, they’re making it for half of what we can,” Sprouse said.
A spokesperson for Searles Valley Minerals provided a statement to Eyewitness News.
“Searles Valley Minerals announced a workforce reduction at its soda ash and boric acid operations, a difficult but necessary step driven by prolonged market, cost, and regulatory pressures that have made continued production economically unfeasible at this time,” said spokesperson Isabelle Dreisen.
The company said the decision reflects sustained global competition and California’s operating environment, not a lack of commitment to employees or the local community.
SVM acknowledged the significant impact on workers and their families and emphasized that the action is to ensure the long-term viability of the company. Looking ahead, the company plans to focus on its boron production, a critical mineral essential to the U.S. economy and national security.
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