Australia's only electric light bulb factory was expected to close on April 24 after 71 years of continuous production. As foreshadowed, the board of directors of Electric Lamp Manufacturers (Australia) Pty Ltd, decided to close the factory, in Hamilton, before liquidating the business. The company's 220 workers were called to a meeting, where general manager Mike Gill told them the closure was inevitable. He said that years of battling to stay afloat in the face of cheap imports, declining market share, financial losses and falling world prices contributed to the decision. Gill said plant and equipment would be sold, with the proceeds to help pay redundancy entitlements. Claims report that it cost the factory 36 cents to make a light bulb that can be exported to Australia from Asia for about 11 cents.
