Lighting Industry's Future Dims As Efficient LED Bulbs Take Over
"A revolution is upsetting the lighting business as LED lightbulbs replace energy-
hogging incandescent ones. This is good news for consumers and the environment; using less energy reduces the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change."
"But this shift comes with a cost, exemplified by a century-old lightbulb factory in St. Marys, Pa., that is the latest to shut down."
"For much of its long history the LEDVANCE facility, 120 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, produced lightbulbs under the Sylvania brand. Now all it produces is scrap metal."
"Jeff Anderson worked at the plant for more than 20 years. He and about 175 others lost their jobs when LEDVANCE announced the closure last April."
"Recently Anderson watched sparks fly as a worker cut and dismantled one of the lightbulb production lines."
"'I was the last one to run that machine that's over there, that they are tearing apart,' says Anderson, occasionally appearing to choke up as he described what is happening to his former workplace. 'This plant has a lot to do with my life. My mom and dad actually met in this plant.'"