Firm with a glowing history

at the Wellhall Road factory.

Bosses delivered the bombshell news to the shocked 237 workers in a mass meeting at the factory.

Those affected worked in the specialist luminaires division of the factory.

Two years later in 2015 the remaining workers faced another jobs blow. Around 30 posts were axed in the SOX (sodium with oxide) streetlights section in the autumn.

It meant that a company which in its heyday in the 1960s employed a workforce of 2300, now had just 70 staff remaining.

Philips Lighting had been an institution in Hamilton for decades and many of the staff were women.

A large number were employed in the manufacture of Philishave electrical shavers.

Others made components for radios and television sets and, later, fan heaters and food mixers.

The factory was also producing 8000 types of electric lamp including miniature torches, street lighting, and photo flash bulbs.

Products which were manufactured in Hamilton over the decades could be seen at many motorways, airports and football stadia around the world.

Half of the grounds at the 2006 World Cup were equipped with Philips products.

In 1963 over 2300 staff went on strike over merit payments.

They were offered a rise of 1½d per hour but the dispute went to arbitration and the award was increased to 4½d an hour.

The company received a cash boost in 2006 when they did a lucrative deal to sell off 12 acres of ground at the Wellhall Road site for housing.

Philips said the £6million raised from the sale would be used to improve facilities at the Hamilton plant.

And in June 2007 the Hamilton factory celebrated 60 years in the town.

Celebrations included a special reception in Edinburgh organised by Hamilton South MSP Tom Mccabe, himself a former Philips employee.