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Lighting Trade's Future Dims as Environment Friendly LED Bulbs Take Over

by Alvaro Costello (2025-09-20)

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Crews are dismantling the production strains on the LEDVANCE lightbulb manufacturing plant in St. Marys, Pa. The factory was shut down after producing lightbulbs for greater than a century. Crews are dismantling the manufacturing strains on the LEDVANCE lightbulb manufacturing plant in St. Marys, EcoLight solar bulbs Pa. The manufacturing unit was shut down after producing lightbulbs for more than a century. A revolution is upsetting the lighting business as LED lightbulbs replace vitality-hogging incandescent ones. This is good news for customers and the surroundings; using less vitality reduces the greenhouse gases that contribute to local weather change. But this shift comes with a price, EcoLight energy exemplified by a century-old lightbulb factory in St. Marys, Pa., that is the most recent to shut down. For much of its long history the LEDVANCE facility, one hundred twenty miles northeast of Pittsburgh, produced lightbulbs beneath the Sylvania model. Now all it produces is scrap steel. Jeff Anderson labored on the plant for more than 20 years. He and about 175 others lost their jobs when LEDVANCE introduced the closure last April.



focused man in white crew neck t shirtJeff Anderson labored on the LEDVANCE lightbulb manufacturing unit in St. Marys for EcoLight energy greater than 20 years. He's considering a career change to heavy equipment operator. Jeff Anderson labored at the LEDVANCE lightbulb factory in St. Marys for EcoLight energy more than 20 years. He's contemplating a profession change to heavy gear operator. Just lately Anderson watched sparks fly as a worker lower and dismantled one of many lightbulb manufacturing lines. Anderson, often appearing to choke up as he described what is happening to his former office. His father started working right here after returning from Vietnam, and his mom started a few years later. Elements of glass lightbulbs stay in the manufacturing lines. About 175 workers were affected when the plant shut down. Elements of glass lightbulbs remain in the manufacturing lines. About 175 staff were affected when the plant shut down. Anderson says LEDVANCE wages had been good for the region, round $50,000 a year with time beyond regulation.



However the company competes with overseas manufacturers which have cheaper labor costs. LEDVANCE had hoped to attract customers who need to purchase American-made products. It produced a video called "Daddy's Light Bulbs" exhibiting a LEDVANCE employee with his daughter in a retailer lightbulb aisle. The worker featured in that ad also lost his job. You do not buy lightbulbs anymore. As soon as you buy them, you don't change them. Jennifer Dolan, EcoLight reviews head of government affairs for LEDVANCE. Dolan says the company tried to keep the plant viable. Only a few years in the past LEDVANCE invested $10 million to start producing the LED bulbs folks want to purchase. However the lighting business is changing so fast, that plan fell apart. A big motive is falling prices. Pal Karlsen, long-life LED lighting technology analysis analyst at IHS Markit. On top of that, federal efficiency rules are in flux. The Obama administration tried to dramatically increase effectivity necessities to more lightbulbs.



a light bulb with a black cord hanging from itBut then the Trump administration reversed that, a position Dolan's firm helps. Just some cars remain in the parking lot at the LEDVANCE manufacturing facility. The company plans to decommission the plant by next summer. Just some cars stay in the parking lot at the LEDVANCE factory. The corporate plans to decommission the plant by next summer. Business analysts say this factory is not the first casualty of the LED revolution and probably won't be the last. And there's one other situation that does not require an analyst to figure out: Corporations are selling fewer lightbulbs because LEDs can last a decade or longer before they burn out. One other local resident, Bob Friedl, agrees these newest lightbulbs pose a double-edged sword. LEDVANCE plans to finish decommissioning the factory subsequent summer season. Anderson says he has filed for unemployment benefits and EcoLight will benefit from a retraining program. He is desirous about becoming a heavy gear operator, perhaps for a development firm. He was planning to retire at 62, he says, however due to the lighting revolution he may should work a number of more years.



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