Fairchild Semiconductor, a semiconductor company that manufactures silicon chips for electronics, plans to eliminate an unspecified number of employees in its manufacturing plant on Western Avenue in South Portland, ME due to the decrease in the demand for chips over the past two years. The South-Portland based company decided to push the layoff plan to meet its target revenue for 2011 and to remain competitive in the market by building a stronger operation and ensuring a long-term viability for the future growth of the company. The job cuts will mainly affect the Western Avenue plant which currently employs about 500 people.

Patti Olson, Fairchild spokeswoman, confirmed the impending job cuts as a result of a significant dropped in the orders for chips due to the recent recession but she did not specify other details as to how many employees will be removed and when the layoff will be. “We have started talking to employees about doing some cost cutting. It is still in the early phases. More information will become available in the next few weeks.” Olson also clarified that the company has no plans of closing its Maine facilities.