Solar panel manufacturer Silfab Solar announced it will temporarily pause production at its Fort Mill facility beginning next week, attributing the stoppage to supply delays and scheduling routine maintenance.
The temporary shutdown is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Aug. 5, with plans to resume full manufacturing operations on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
According to a company statement, the idling will affect module and solar cell production lines. Non-manufacturing operations — including customer service, shipping, and logistics — will remain active throughout the period.
Silfab said it plans to utilize the brief operational pause to complete facility maintenance and system upgrades. Planned work includes preventive maintenance on production machinery, commissioning of the building’s chiller and HVAC systems, repairs to the air compressor system, and retesting of facility piping.
Company representatives emphasized that temporary idling is a routine aspect of manufacturing operations often triggered by workflow bottlenecks, supply chain constraints, or scheduled system upkeep. Silfab also explicitly noted that the pause is unrelated to an upcoming York County Council meeting or ongoing local zoning matters.
A History of Local Friction
The announcement comes following years of community pushback and legal challenges surrounding the plant, located at 7149 Logistics Lane in unincorporated York County.
Since Silfab selected the site for its solar cell manufacturing operations, local residents and community groups have expressed vocal opposition, citing safety concerns over the facility’s proximity—roughly 500 feet—to Flint Hill Elementary School and Flint Hill Middle School. Opponents raised alarms over the storage and use of industrial chemicals near school grounds and residential neighborhoods.
Tensions mounted in May 2024 when the York County Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously (5-0) that solar cell manufacturing did not qualify under the property’s light-industrial zoning designation.
On July 21, 2026, a South Carolina circuit court judge upheld the zoning board’s decision, ruling against Silfab and the property owner. While the ruling did not order an immediate closure of the site, it created significant legal hurdles for the company’s long-term expansion plans in the county.
Safety concerns intensified further in March 2026, when a 300-gallon chemical spill occurred on-site. The incident prompted state environmental regulators to issue a stop-work order regarding hazardous chemical handling at the facility and led the Fort Mill School District board and local lawmakers to publicly call for the plant’s closure.
Silfab maintains that its operations adhere to state and federal safety standards and intends to appeal recent legal rulings.
