This green energy company is leaving California for Texas
A San Jose-based technology company that sells roof tiles with built-in solar panels has become the latest company from the Golden State to announce plans to move to Texas.
GAF Energy announced on December 13 that it will move its headquarters to Georgetown, Texas. notification document appealed to state authorities. The company said its decision was made due to better market opportunities in Texas rather than the adverse business environment in California.
The company will lay off 138 California-based employees, including technicians, engineers and managers.
The San José headquarters, currently used for research, development and solar panel production, will open in 2021, the statement said. Both in-person and remote workers will be affected by the closure, the statement said.
The notice required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or WARN, must be issued by a company 60 days before a mass layoff.
GAF Energy, owned by Standard Industries, opened a manufacturing facility in Texas last year. Chairman Martin DeBono said the company plans to consolidate its operations at its new headquarters in the state.
“In light of ongoing changes in the solar industry, we are adjusting our business and team to focus on key markets where solar is most attractive to builders and homeowners,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “This decision was not made lightly. We are grateful to our employees in San Jose for their contributions to the business and are committed to assisting those affected by this transition.”
GAF Energy advertises a more practical approach to rooftop solar by embedding solar panels directly into the tiles rather than installing them on top of the roof.
At its Texas headquarters, the spokesperson said the merger will help the company “increase efficiency, foster stronger collaboration and partnership across teams, and better serve customers.”
Although Silicon Valley is known as a leading tech hub and incubator for young companies, many firms have left the state in recent years, complaining about strict regulations, high taxes and costly labor.
Tesla moved its headquarters out of Palo Alto in 2021, the same year financial services firm Charles Schwab moved from San Francisco to North Texas. Elon Musk moved the headquarters of his other companies (SpaceX and X), such as oil giant Chevron, founded in California, to Texas last year.
Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Marcus Lemonis recently took aim at California, announcing that the company would not reopen stores in the state. write to x “California has created one of the most over-regulated, expensive and risky environments for businesses.”
Economists said the state ranked fourth.largest economy It has a diverse talent pool around the world and is a hub of technological innovation.
GAF Energy did not point to flaws in California’s business environment as the reason for moving its operations to Texas. However, the company will suspend all operations in the Golden State.
