Basseterre, St. Kitts, (November 08, 2018 ): Senior Minister and Minister of Labour, the Honourable Vance Amory issued a statement to the public on Wednesday, November 07, announcing the intended closure of Lutron Liamuiga effective March 01, 2019 after 31 years of operation in St. Kitts.  

He stated that in a formal advisory submitted to the Ministry of Labour on October 31, 2018, Lutron disclosed that the decision to close its factory in St. Kitts is due to “the United States Government’s regulatory changes made in 2007, leading to a decrease in the demand for its [Lutron Liamuiga’s] products.”

Minister Amory further added in his statement yesterday that the advisory revealed that the Energy Act of 2007 prohibited the manufacturing use of 100-watt incandescent bulbs in 2012 and similarly for 75-watt incandescent bulbs in 2013. He also added that another prohibition was done on 60 and 40-watt incandescent bulbs in 2014.

“This has had the effect of reducing Lutron’s market for its incandescent lighting products to 5% overtime and placed significant operational challenges on the company in St. Kitts,” he said.

According to the Congressional Research Service’s (CRS) Report for Congress updated on April 23, 2008, the Lighting Efficiency Standards in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 “sets new performance standards for many common light bulbs. Tier I standards require a 25%- 30% increase in the energy efficiency of typical light bulbs beginning in 2012, and still greater improvements through Tier II standards starting in 2020.”

The first phase of the Federal Bill that went into effect in 2011 stipulated that “all bulbs must be 27 percent more efficient meaning that a bulb that used 75-watts must now use fewer than 53.” An article by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that incandescent bulbs waste up to 90 percent of the electricity they use through emitted heat.

A National Geographic story published on December 28^th, 2012, titled “U.S. Bids Farewell to the 75 – watt Incandescent Light Bulb,” notes that, “As of January 1, traditional 75-watt incandescent light bulbs can no longer be manufactured in the United States, continuing a national transition to more efficient lighting by 2014.”

Lutron, a leader in the lighting control industry that offers a wide selection of lighting solutions, employs approximately 100 workers in St. Kitts.