Desert community of Trona devastated by mass layoffs at Searles Valley Minerals soda ash plant

TRONA, Calif. (KABC) — Nearly seven years ago, three powerful earthquakes rocked the desert community of Trona. Now, residents declare news of 300 layoffs at the largest employer in town is perhaps cautilizing even more devastation.

“A lot of people, from what I hear, are already putting their hoapplys up for sale and receiveting out of here,” declared 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 tiny town like Trona,” Stephens declared. “A lot of people depfinish on the plant.”

Searles Valley Minerals produces soda ash, which is applyd in glass manufacturing, detergents and chemical processing.

“They’re broke. That’s all it comes down to,” declared Edward Sproapply, who worked at the plant for decades before retiring in 2009.

He declared economic pressures are building it difficult for the facility to remain profitable.

“The Chinese are building synthetic soda ash, so if they’re doing that, they’re building it for half of what we can,” Sproapply declared.

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 built continued production economically unfeasible at this time,” declared spokesperson Isabelle Dreisen.

The company declared 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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