Lighting manufacturer to close, 109 job losses expected

Signify North America Corporation, previously known as Philips Lighting – or more commonly known locally in San Marcos history as Wide Lite – announced that it will be closing its manufacturing facility in San Marcos and laying off 109 employees. Under one name or another, the lighting company has had facilities in San Marcos for decades.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission’s Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification Notices, the layoffs will begin May 16. Layoffs will occur in three phases. The first on May 16, the second on August 15 and the third on November 7.

“All individuals employed by the Company at the Facility, will permanently lose their current positions at the Facility,” the WARN letter states. “However, some employees may not suffer job losses as a result of anticipated transfers to other Company facilities.”

According to Inside Lighting, an industry publication, the company is moving the production of the San Marcos location to facilities in Camargo, Mexico, and Littlestown, Pennsylvania.

'This was a difficult but necessary decision with the ongoing transformation in the lighting industry,” Inside Lighting reported a Signify spokesperson said. “Signify is focused on supporting impacted employees, providing resources and training to assist them through this transition.'

'As the global leader in lighting, we remain committed to the market and will continue to drive innovation and leverage the breadth of our operations to best serve our professional customers.”

Wide Lite, which was previously bought by Philips Lighting before Philips changed its name to Signify North America Corporation, is located at 1611 Clovis Barker Road.

The manufacturing facilities mainly produce name-brand outdoor lighting including Hadco, Gardco, Lumec, Stonco as well as previously Wide Lite and Lightolier Controls.

Signify did not immediately return an email from the Daily Record requesting comment.