WE Soda to cut 350 Wyoming jobs as it shifts mining methods

WE Soda announced on Wednesday that it will reduce its workforce in Sweetwater County by 350 employees. The company plans to cut its total staff from more than 850 to approximately 500. These reductions will occur between the first quarter of 2027 and the end of 2028.

The changes reflect a strategic shift from dry-ore underground mining to solution mining. WE Soda will phase out its underground mine near Green River over the next two years. This new method involves dissolving soda ash in place underground. It eliminates the need for traditional digging operations.

CEO Alasdair Warren cited market pressure from China as the primary driver for the move. China has built new production facilities that use solution mining to lower costs. This approach requires less energy and fewer workers. As a result, Chinese producers can sell soda ash at prices that undercut Wyoming's rates in export markets.

Warren stated that every export ton from Wyoming currently loses money due to low global pricing. He noted that the Chinese market has changed since five years ago. Previously, China consumed most of its own production. Now, it exports large volumes of low-cost soda ash.

The company became the world's largest natural soda ash producer in 2025. It acquired Genesis Alkali’s Westvaco and Granger operations for $1.4 billion. Warren told the Cowboy State Daily in September that the company had only made small headcount cuts since the acquisition. It had focused primarily on driving down costs. The new announcement marks a shift in that strategy.

Marshal Cummings, president of United Steelworkers Local 13214, described the announcement as a devastating blow. Union representatives met with company officials at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. This meeting occurred 90 minutes before the public announcement. Cummings said the short notice left the union with many unanswered questions.

Cummings expressed concern for workers who were on shift on Wednesday. He noted that employees had to process the news while performing high-intensity labor. He stated that the union’s next step is bargaining with the company. The goal is to secure the best possible severance package for affected members.

Cummings also criticized the company’s handling of the transition. He said he would have preferred the company to explore legislative support in Washington, D.C., before cutting jobs. The national Steelworkers union has influence over such legislation. Cummings believed this route could have protected the broader industry in southwest Wyoming.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon and Governor-elect Eric Barlow issued a joint statement on Wednesday. They called soda ash mining a vital legacy industry for the state. The leaders described the reduction in miners as terrible news. They stated that officials are working to bring resources to address the impacts of the cuts.

The governors said they are in discussions with the federal government, producers, and other stakeholders. Their aim is to strengthen Wyoming’s competitiveness and protect national security. WE Soda Director of Government Affairs Craig Rood said the company will work with the union to offer reassignments where possible. The company plans to share more details when it reports third-quarter results at the end of the month.