In 2008, Hemlock Semiconductor based in Michigan picked Clarksville, TN as the location for a new, $1.2 Billion polycrystalline silicon manufacturing plant. The local university established a course of instruction to educate employees for employment in this industry. In 2014, Hemlock announced they were closing the plant because they couldn't compete with cheaper imports from China. The plant never produced 1 ounce of silicon. Hundreds of jobs were lost. Equipment was sold off as scrap metal. Millions of dollars of public money was lost. People want cheap products and buy foreign made but then complain about low wages and no job opportunities.
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