WE Soda Cuts 350 Jobs at Westvaco
The Wyoming trona producer will convert its Westvaco underground mine to a less labor-intensive method amid pressure from Chinese soda ash imports.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Manufacturing
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WE Soda will cut 350 jobs at its Westvaco operation over the next two years, reducing its workforce from about 850 to 500. The company is converting the underground mine to in-situ solution recovery, a less labor-intensive drill-and-pump method.
Why it matters
The move responds to low-cost Chinese soda ash exports that have significantly pressured American export pricing. For Wyoming, where trona-derived soda ash is the state's largest global export commodity, the cuts reflect a downturn now in its fourth year.
WE Soda's workforce will fall from about 850 to 500 as Westvaco output drops by more than 1.5 million metric tons a year, against a Wyoming trona-derived export business worth $1.3 billion annually. The company has not detailed how the reduction will affect export sales beyond those no longer commercially viable.
The players
WE Soda
WE Soda is a Wyoming trona miner and soda ash producer whose operations in southwest Wyoming supply a major share of the global soda ash market.
The details
Layoffs will begin in January as WE Soda progressively converts the mine over about two years. The company says the repositioning is necessary to strengthen the long-term competitiveness of its Wyoming operations.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: WE Soda announces job cuts and the mining conversion.
January 2027: Layoffs begin at the Westvaco operation.
2027–2028: Underground mining is converted and 350 jobs are cut.
Market Landscape
The cuts follow a downturn in Wyoming's trona and soda ash industry, now in its fourth year, driven by a flood of low-cost Chinese soda ash that has depressed American export pricing. Industry pressure is expected to persist for at least another couple of years.
Roughly 350 Westvaco workers face job losses beginning in January 2027, with layoffs phased in over about two years. Wyoming households tied to the trona industry should expect continued uncertainty as the downturn is projected to last at least another couple of years.
The takeaway
Industrial shifts toward less labor-intensive extraction can cut jobs even when production remains commercially important, so workers in export-dependent industries should watch for signals of further restructuring. Monitoring trade pricing trends is a practical way to anticipate changes in regional employment.
What happens next
Layoffs at the Westvaco operation are scheduled to begin in January 2027 and continue as the underground mine is converted over the next two years.
Further reading
For broader context on how these cuts fit into industrial output, see Manufacturing coverage across the state.
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