Some 200 employees of a Penang-based solar cell maker will be out of jobs soon, as the latest wave of retrenchments hits the manufacturing sector in the northern state.

TS Solartech Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tek Seng Holdings Bhd, told employees yesterday that they would be without jobs as early as tomorrow, Business Times reported today.

Taiwan's Solartech Energy holds 42 percent of the Penang plant.

"We regret to inform you that due to redundancy of productivity, there will be a retrenchment programme for surplus workers," the memo sent to employees reportedly states.

"This decision is a not a reflection on your performance."

This comes after US-based Rubicon Technology Inc said it will close down its Rubicon Sapphire Technology plant in Penang, affecting 180 people.

US hard disk maker Seagate Technology Plc, which employs 3,000 Malaysian staff, and computer data storage firm Western Digital Corp are also moving the bulk of their operations to Thailand.

Western Digital is expected to lay off 400 Malaysians and 800 foreign workers from its Penang facility, Business Times reported.

Intel Technology, which has plants in Penang and Kulim, Kedah, is retrenching 12,000 globally. About 1,000 are from the Malaysian operations.