GE Lighting to close plant in Circleville

GE Lighting is closing its lightbulb plant in Circleville, following through on a plan the company announced last summer. The move will result in the loss of 148 jobs.

The plant's managers had left open the slim possibility that a plan might come together to maintain the plant in some form. However, the company said in a letter to the state this week that the closing will go ahead,

with layoffs that will start in May and continue until a final closing on Aug. 11.

“Consumer demand for traditional lighting is at an all-time low, and that shift has been supported by the U.S. government phasing out incandescent bulbs,” said Don Hatfield, a manager for GE Lighting, in the letter.

“As a result, volume is down dramatically at the Circleville Lamp Plant, and the facility is operating at 90 percent below capacity.”

GE Lighting has another plant in Bucyrus that is remaining open. It makes LED lighting, which is a technology that has taken market share from the bulbs made in Circleville.

Workers in Circleville will receive severance pay and benefits and preferential treatment for employment at other GE plants, the company said.

About half of the affected workers are eligible for retirement benefits, said spokeswoman Alicia Gauer.

GE said last year that it would consider suggestions from within the company to reduce costs or make other changes that might allow the plant to remain open.

“Ultimately, no viable solutions were found to offset dramatic, and continuing, decline in volume for products produced at the plant,” Gauer said.

The plant opened in 1948 and had about 1,100 employees at its peak.

While the closing is a blow to Circleville, it comes as local officials have had some recent success in attracting businesses. One example: Sofidel, an Italian tissue manufacturer, is building a plant in the area that will open next year and employ about 300 people.