Local plant develops new energy efficient bulb

ST. MARYS - The development of a new energy efficient bulb will give consumers another option when purchasing light bulbs, but it will also give hundreds of people locally the chance to keep their jobs.For the past two to three years Osram Sylvania in St. Marys has been working to develop a light bulb to replace the incandescent light bulbs used by consumers when government legislation bans it.Eighty percent of what people use in their homes right now is the A-line bulb, but in 2007 under the Energy Independence and Security Act the government reduced the maximum wattage a bulb can use beginning Jan. 1, 2012, and an incandescent bulb cannot meet the new requirement.The only option left for consumers was the compact fluorescent bulb made in Asia, primarily in China, that has the curly shape and contains a small amount of mercury."We employ 265 people whose livelihoods are dependent on the incandescent," Chris Sconzo, plant manager, said. "If no product was created to replace the A-Line we would not have had a chance of surviving, now we have a shot."Making a product similar to the compact fluorescent bulb made in Asia was not an option so instead Osram Sylvania came up with a new product that will meet the legislative requirements.....READ MORE