SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. is blaming the troubled economy for its decision to shut down many of its U.S. operations during Thanksgiving week.

Company officials say their customers and distributors are coping with reduced orders for consumer appliances and electronic devices that use Fairchild's computer chips.

Spokeswoman Patti Olson said all office workers and some of the manufacturing staff will be off during Thanksgiving week. Fairchild has about 1,000 employees at its headquarters and manufacturing plant in South Portland, and another 1,000 elsewhere in the U.S.

Earlier this week, the company cut back on its revenue estimates for the final three months of the year. It said revenues for the fourth quarter will be down between 16 percent and 21 percent from the third quarter of the year.