Shuttered Solar Plant Faces Fight Over Severance Pay

Former employees want to force closed facility into bankruptcy

Ten former employees of solar mirror manufacturer Flabeg Solar U.S. Corp. have petitioned a federal court to place the Clinton-based company into bankruptcy for not paying severance.

They and more than 60 other workers lost their jobs when the sprawling plant in Findlay Township shut down a couple of weeks ago, said Flabeg's attorney.

"The plant is mothballed for the moment," said Robert Lampl. "They shut down because their German parent cut off funding."

The parent company, Flabeg GmbH, opened the $30 million plant in the Clinton Commerce Park in Findlay Township in late 2009 hoping to take advantage of the emerging solar power industry worldwide — with the help of $9 million in job creation grants, loans and other financial aid from the state and Allegheny County.